Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Clever horror romcom is charming and funny but gory.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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Heart Eyes
What's the Story?
In HEART EYES, a serial killer in a mask that has heart-shaped eyes has been terrorizing and slaughtering couples on Valentine's Day for two years running, each time in a different city. This year, lovers everywhere are being warned to stay home. Meanwhile, Ally (Olivia Holt) prepares to go to her job at an advertising firm and has an awkward meet-cute in a café with Jay (Mason Gooding). At work, she learns that she's made a huge mistake on a new jewelry campaign, and her boss (Michaela Watkins) calls in a freelancer, who turns out to be Jay. The pair must come up with a new plan tonight, on Valentine's Day, before Jay's plane leaves in the morning. They meet at a restaurant with disastrous results, but as they're leaving, they're spotted by the killer—so their night is just beginning.
Is It Any Good?
While its overall vibe is fairly familiar, this horror-romcom mashup is still quite clever, with a knowledge of and appreciation for both genres, as well as appealing and/or funny characters. Both veterans of this kind of material, stars Holt (Totally Killer) and Gooding (Scream and Scream VI) throw themselves completely into Heart Eyes, and they're quite charming, with good chemistry. They adapt to both the romance scenes and the horror scenes with equal efficiency. Gigi Zumbado is hilarious as the typical romcom "goofy best friend" character (whose entire job is to care about the main character's love life), Watkins is clearly having a ball as Ally's malevolent boss, and Devon Sawa and Jordana Brewster kill as police detectives Hobbs and Shaw. ("Like the movie?" asks Ally; their response is hysterical.)
Director Josh Ruben—whose Scare Me and Werewolves Within had the same kind of humorous horror deconstruction—skillfully flips back and forth between genre conventions while simultaneously sending them up. There's even a scene in which Ally races to the airport to declare her love to Jay before he flies away, which turns into another encounter with the killer. And the movie goes out with a bang with a fabulous twist on the "or is it?" during the credits. Heart Eyes is a date night pick with broad appeal, provided you can handle the gore.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Heart Eyes' violence. How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?
Is the movie scary, or does the humor soften it? Why do people sometimes enjoy scary movies?
How are sex, romance, flirting, and attraction depicted?
How well does the mashup of the movie's two genres work? Does it incorporate familiar elements of both? How does it turn those elements sideways?
Movie Details
- In theaters : February 7, 2025
- On DVD or streaming : March 4, 2025
- Cast : Olivia Holt , Mason Gooding , Gigi Zumbado
- Director : Josh Ruben
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Gay Movie Writer(s) , Queer Movie Writer(s)
- Studios : Screen Gems , Sony Pictures Releasing
- Genre : Horror
- Run time : 97 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : strong violence and gore, language and some sexual content
- Last updated : July 30, 2025
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