Sofia Carson
Leading actress defends Netflix film “Purple Hearts” against criticism
The romance film Purple Hearts starring Nicholas Galitzine and Sofia Carson is currently streaming on Netflix
© ©Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection/ / Picture Alliance
The Netflix hit “Purple Hearts” causes trouble on the Internet: The love story fuels racism and is military propaganda, so the accusation. Now the director and the leading actress have commented on the criticism – and defended the film.
The love story “Purple Hearts” is at the top of the Netflix charts worldwide. But the romance about a marriage of convenience between a liberal musician and a young marine also causes criticism online – because the premise is not very romantic.
Latina Cassie, played by Sofia Carson, is the daughter of an illegal immigrant and suffers from diabetes. Without health insurance, she cannot afford insulin. Soldier Luke, played by Nicholas Galitzine, has a history of drugs and money problems. The two can’t stand each other and have different political views. But because there are bonus payments for marriage and health insurance for spouses in the military, a marriage of convenience takes place. And then – in the tradition of the genre – it turns into real love.
The problem, according to critics, is that the US military operation in Iraq and the problematic privatized health care system in the US are being romanticized. Worse still, Luke’s fellow soldiers repeatedly make sexist and racist statements. Like when someone yells, “Let’s hunt some goddamn Arabs!” Cassie objects in the scene, but Luke shuts her up – the subject never comes up again.
“Purple Hearts” causes discussions on the net
Lead actress Carson has now reacted and emphasized that they just wanted to portray both sides as accurately as possible. “It’s about two hearts, one red and one blue, who are worlds apart and who have been taught to hate each other. Through the power of love, they learn compassion and understanding for one another. They love each other and turn it into a beautiful purple ‘ said the actress, who also wrote the film’s soundtrack.
Director Elizabeth Allen Rosenbaum also defends the strip: “I hope that people understand that the characters have to have flaws in the beginning in order to grow.” Both are victims of a broken system in the USA, the country has many weaknesses, that was the most important motif of the film. “They have to be extreme for the red and blue hearts to turn purple. And some of the people around them have even more weaknesses than they do.”
However, the explanation was not well received on Twitter: “We all know how storylines work, but after the incident there is no development with it. Don’t make up anything to defend racism in the film. If anything, she adopts hers morals because she loves him so much,” writes about a user.
This does not harm the success of the film: “Purple Hearts” is said to have been streamed for over 100 million hours.