Netflix showcased its most authentic military love story, “Purple Hearts,” to screens everywhere on July 29, 2022.
“Purple Hearts” is directed by Elizabeth Allen Rosenbaum. It is the story of a self-sufficient, stubborn and independent singer and band member named Cassi Salazar. She has a decent life, but there is always one thing that holds her back: her diabetes. Because of this, a problem occurs when she runs out of her insulin because of her lack of health insurance, forcing her to resort to other methods. When she figures out that she is able to get free health insurance if she were to marry someone in the marines, she goes to her childhood best friend, Frankie, in hopes that he will agree to her idea. Instead, she comes across Frankie’s bunkmate, Luke, who is also in a rut of his own. As a result, the two make an arrangement that should solve all of their problems, until it gets them into an even bigger issue.
Because this movie revolves around the military, it was put on a pedestal by fans because of how many other amazing military movies Netflix has to offer. It is safe to say this movie passed all viewer’s expectations. With the realisticness of the marine boys shipping off to Iraq and having to say goodbye to their families, fans reacted in a tear-jerking way and found themselves relating to the topic. The authenticity of the boys being stationed in Iraq and showing how hard it truly is to be a marine was heart-warming to viewers and received so much love. It is the first time a Netflix movie had ever made it that realistic, and because of that, it brought so many viewers its way.
Another beautiful asset to this story was the relationship between Cassi and Luke. Cassi was everything opposite of Luke. She was, for one, a hardcore feminist, while Luke was a hard-headed military boy. The way Rosenbaum was able to portray to fans that two completely different people can fall in love with each other and still make their relationship work was something that Netflix rarely ever saw. The two were able to contribute their beliefs to one another, instead of just turning away from it, which conveys that people can always find a way to make their relationships work. Yes, the two were arranged in a fake marriage for the benefits, but did genuinely end up falling in love in the end. It was a gorgeous representation of what love actually is and viewers went nuts for this love story.
To close, “Purple Hearts” is one of the most authentic and beautiful military love stories ever put on Netflix. It has set high standards for other incoming military love stories and continues to grow in views a year and a half later. The way Rosenbaum portrayed the idea that you can always make relationships in your life work is a theme that is seen very rarely, but when it is shown, it’s very loved. It is recommended for ages 14 and up, and receives a very worthy five-star rating. It definitely showcases Netflix’s strength in conveying the story of true love.
