Purple Hearts – Movie Reviews by Ry!

Purple Hearts – The Artist and the Marine: A Romance Tale

A world of reflection.  In life, we come to a point of understanding that becomes prudent to an outcome.  That intent unfolds in many ways, no matter the medium.  With film, there can be a hardiness to that truth, but if there is no captivation, the intent gets lost within its own meaning.  In this review, I look at the latest Netflix original film.  It is tale that puts life in reflection, trying to speak meaning through basic tropes.  Even as the journey has a faulty start, Purple Hearts has enough genuine moments to reflect what is our true intent in life.

This film is a journey of individuals with intrinsic problems.  We are first introduced to Cassie (Sofia Carson).  She is a struggling musician who needs certain medical assistance.  Through convenient circumstance, she meets Luke (Nicholas Galitzine) a Marine entrapped in a debt scheme (from his past).  The two see a way out of their situation, marrying each other.  A relationship built out of intent; they soon realize that what was true becomes something more.  In the beginning, the story unfolds through generalization of plot point progression.  The first act unfolds through basic genre motifs, showcasing one-dimensional archetypes within predictable motives.  Everything moves through cringy dialogue and stereotypical motifs, forcing threads to come together for the sake of the story.  As you watch the initial ups and downs of Cassie and Luke’s interactions, there are moments of heart and folly, but nothing has any real earnest feeling.  As things continue, it creates a situation where the ‘opposite attracts’ technique is throttled, breaking hearty elements into moments of melodrama.  From the bar scene, Luke’s deployment, Cassie’s inspiration for songwriting and communication montages, each scene is mimicry of lost potential.  There are intriguing elements to Cassie and Luke’s caricature, but it is forced to linger in the background for an underdeveloped romantic plot.  This creates a sense of an audience wanting better results from material that could be great.

Within the disarray of direction, a certain situation happens that subverts all the predictability.  As things become more prudent, the relationship starts to develop into emotional overtures that provide a window into real layers of character/story development.  As Cassie and Luke start to see a want within their initial intent, their lives unravel within the unpredictability of situations.  This leads to wholesome dialogue and genuine moments growing within authentic appeal.  The strength of the genre comes to fruition, showcasing a humanistic appeal to their journey.  With their marriage at a tipping point, we head into a third act where characters grow, moments endure, and situations unravel through precarious means.  This leads a climax that feels earnest, leading into an epilogue that is cliché but welcomed.  Purple Hearts is a rethread of any common romantic tale.  If you are a fan of romance or opposite attracts motifs, I say check it out.  For others, it’s a Netflix Original that can be a good Friday night at home.

Full Score – 2.5 out of 5 (Friday Night Rental)