Purple Hearts Review: A Compelling Premise Is Undermined By Sappy Writing
Two people conspire to scam the government for health insurance and extra pay. Along the way, they fall in love. The scam can’t work forever, but the reward is much greater than the risk in the end. This elevator pitch makes it easy to see how such a basic premise can work to make a swoon-worthy romantic epic or a sentimental romantic comedy. Sadly, Purple Hearts — directed by Elizabeth Allen Rosenbaum from a screenplay by Liz W. Garcia and Kyle Jarrow — cannot successfully find the balance to be one or the other.
Cassie Salazar (Sofia Carson) and Luke Morrow (Nicholas Galitzine) are two people who could not be more different. Cassie is a bartender who aspires to be a full-time singer-songwriter. She is a prickly, man-hating feminist (as perceived by the Marines who frequent her bar) with tons of sass and a lot to say about the U.S. government. At the same time, Luke is a delinquent-turned-marine who is lacking in the critical thinking department. The two find themselves in a difficult spot in their individual lives and decide to marry – despite not liking each other – for the military benefits. Luke gets shipped off to Iraq to fight for America’s misplaced freedom while Cassie continues with her singing career, which begins to take off. When tragedy strikes and the two faux lovebirds are reunited, they fall in love against the odds.
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This story could have been effectively told in 90 minutes or less, but it becomes a bloated bore that goes on for more than two hours. Had it been shorter, it would have allowed the flimsy critique of the military to slide and the shallow characterizations to be passable at best. However, the film's lengthier
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