There are many excellent war movies that do the hard work of telling soldier narratives without sugarcoating the reality of the trauma they experience. Not too many of these movies also fit the romance genre.
In fact, until the release of Purple Hearts in 2022, Dear John (2010) is the last military romance movie that comes to mind. It's the military romance you need to watch
What it means to receive a Purple Heart medal
August is Purple Heart month, but many readers may wonder how one receives this honor. Some may be under the misconception that a soldier must be killed in action to get this medal. That is certainly one way to honor a soldier who has given the ultimate sacrifice, but a soldier could also receive this medal for being wounded in action. One could say that the Purple Heart medal is a gift that every soldier hopes to never receive, though it is one of high honor.
This month, as you scroll through your streaming apps, you can find a number of movies or shows to help honor Purple Heart recipients and veterans everywhere. You can even take it a step further by thanking any service member you come across! As an Army daughter, I know firsthand that those moments of appreciation mean so much, and that our military service members still fight so many silent battles that need more awareness.
The love story behind Purple Hearts on Netflix
The movie, Purple Hearts, tells the story of a group of young Marine Corps enlistees who ship off to Afghanistan to fight in a seemingly unending war. Though it is a work of fiction, it could easily tell the true story of thousands of soldiers who have been sent to battle.
The movie stars Sofia Carson, whom we have seen a lot lately in other movies. If you’re a romance fan (and we’re assuming you are since you’re here!), you likely know Carson from The Life List, Carry On, Descendents, and, most recently, My Oxford Year. Carson plays Cassie, a young and talented musical artist trying to make a living. Cassie is also battling Type 2 diabetes, but lacks the proper healthcare coverage to keep up with the expensive medication she needs daily. When it comes to her love life, Cassie has a strict “no soldier policy” because of their stereotypical behavior in the bar where she works.
Cassie, who has a sworn “no soldier policy” meet … Luke, a handsome, active-duty Marine with a strong sense of allegiance to his country. Luke shames Cassie for trying to scam the government when he overhears her asking his roommate, Frankie (one of her childhood friends), to marry her out of desperation. If Cassie marries Frankie, she can receive medical benefits and not have to constantly worry about dying from low insulin. In return, he could get some financial benefits. Unfortunately, Frankie is planning to propose to his own girlfriend soon, so he declines Cassie’s offer.
Luke is in some trouble of his own—owing money to the kind of guy you don’t want to owe money to. Yet, he has no problem pointing out Cassie’s wrongdoing. Luke seems to think that if Cassie plays by the rules, everything should work out fine. He even insults her mother for immigrating to the States illegally.
Luke’s convictions about Cassie’s approach to marriage shift quickly when his own life is in danger, not as a Marine, but as a man in debt to a criminal. Luke agrees to marry Cassie out of convenience, so that he can pay off his debt. I’m sure you can imagine what a fake marriage and war tragedy could do to a couple with even the smallest bit of attraction to each other. Could Luke and Cassie fall in love and enjoy a legitimate marriage, or will their differences break them and potentially cause them some prison time?
Purple Hearts brings to light political issues related to medical care, military stereotypes, the oxymoron of using war to bring peace, and how people with two opposing viewpoints can potentially fall in love and see each other’s point of view. If you need a date night re-watch, or to watch for the first time, just search the title on Netflix.