But, of course, I soon sat back to watch how this all was going to turn out. Both of the actors appealed to me right away. Sofia Carson (Descendants) and Nicholas Galitzine (Cinderella 2021) turn in such convincing performances! Here’s hoping this splendid work jettisons them into more lead roles.
Their characters of Cassie, a struggling singer-songwriter, and Luke, a troubled Marine, undertake quite a journey. She never dates soldiers, and he is a proud member of the Marine Corps. Beyond this, the problems they face seem almost impossible to solve. But they have to try, despite their differences.
As you probably already know, Cassie and Luke deserve a poem. So here it is:
A singer and a Marine wed.
“I do” for both was falsely said.
They needed dough to get them through
some bad problems, both old and new.
This couple started out with hate.
Opposites, neither one a mate.
Who knew they would need each other?
Will helping bring them together?
The young co-stars of PURPLE HEARTS --
revelatory in their parts.
Romance and love this movie lauds.
Plus, music deserves much applause.
It’s interesting to watch the changes in Cassie and Luke’s feelings as they get to know one another and face tragedies together. They remind me of a modern version of Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy in Woman of the Year. Both couples start out disliking each other and end up falling in love. Many other romantic films use this situation but it doesn’t always work. In Woman of the Year and Purple Hearts, it does. That’s because these fine actors know how to portray such difficult roles.
Since Cassie is a singer and songwriter, music is important in this film. Carson gives energetic and emotional performances of “Come Back Home,” “Sweet Caroline” and many more. Although production values are less than first-rate, the concert scenes come across as very realistic.
And because Luke is a Marine who gets sent with his best friend (Chosen Jacobs) overseas right after the fake wedding, intense war scenes are included. These different activities for the main characters emphasize the distance between Cassie and Luke.
Directed by Elizabeth Allen Rosenbaum from a screenplay by Kyle Darrow and Liz W. Garcia, Purple Hearts should please incurable romantics and movie addicts like me.
The life of this world is nothing but the harmony of opposites. --- Rumi
(Released by Netflix and rated “TV-MA” by MPAA)
