Purple Hearts 2022

In the midst of juggling multiple jobs as a waitress/bartender and performing with her band, The Loyal, Cassie Salazar (Sofia Carson) is forced to confront the harsh realities of living with Type 1 diabetes. Six months prior, she received a diagnosis that has since been a constant reminder of the financial struggles she faces in affording the necessary medication. Her situation becomes even more complicated when she meets Luke Morrow (Nicholas Galitzine), a charismatic Marine who is soon to be deployed to Iraq. Despite their initial spark, Cassie rebuffs his advances due to her commitment to staying focused on her problems.

Luke, however, has his own demons to contend with. Having overcome a two-year addiction after the passing of his mother, he still owes $15,000 to his dealer Johnno (Anthony Ippolito). His strained relationship with his retired Marine father, Jacob Morrow Sr. (Linden Ashby), only adds to his emotional turmoil. When Luke’s brother, Jacob Morrow Jr. (Scott Deckert), refuses to provide financial assistance, he is left feeling isolated and desperate.

Cassie, in a last-ditch effort to secure health insurance for her diabetes treatment, proposes a marriage of convenience to Frankie (Chosen Jacobs), a childhood friend and fellow Marine. However, this plan hits a snag when Frankie reveals his intention to marry his sweetheart Riley (Breana Raquel). Luke, who has been watching the situation unfold from the sidelines, advises against the fraudulent union but eventually comes around to the idea once he realizes that both he and Cassie could benefit financially from their marriage.

As the newlyweds prepare for their wedding, they concoct a plan to divorce after a year. Frankie lends Cassie his wedding ring, meant for Riley, and asks her to keep it safe until their big day. After the ceremony, the couple celebrates with Luke’s fellow Marines at the bar, where an argument between Cassie and one of the soldiers, Armando (Nicholas Duvernay), over a toast about hunting down Arabs leads to a heated exchange with Luke.

Despite their growing feelings for each other, they put on a united front to maintain the illusion of their marriage. As the night wears on, Luke confides in Cassie that he is terrified of both the impending deployment and the marriage itself. She offers him comfort, and they share an intimate moment together.

As the Marines prepare to leave for Iraq, Luke gives Cassie his brother’s contact information, making her his next of kin. In a bid to keep their ruse alive, Cassie and Luke begin exchanging emails and video calls, with Cassie performing a song she wrote, “Come Back Home,” for the Marines. Her heartfelt performance lifts their spirits on a particularly rough day.

As the song’s popularity soars, Luke turns introspective, wondering aloud if his muse has finally been revealed - Cassie herself. One fateful night, while taking center stage, she receives shattering news: Luke has suffered a brutal injury in a devastating IED explosion and will be returning to the States. Consumed by worry, Cassie tries to reach out to Luke’s brother, only to inadvertently connect with his father, a retired Marine officer whose disapproving gaze would surely expose their clandestine marriage. The revelation that Frankie had given his life in service only adds to the emotional toll.

Luke’s return to civilian life is marked by a somber reality: he now relies on a wheelchair, his once-strong physique ravaged by injury. Seeking solace, he moves into Cassie’s apartment, where they embark on a new chapter of their marriage. Luke crafts a poignant wedding band from his dog tag chain, while they meticulously redecorate their home to honor their union for the benefit of his father, who comes to collect him for physical therapy sessions.

In an effort to aid Luke’s recovery, Cassie adopts Peaches, a golden retriever with a gentle soul, and their cohabitation becomes the catalyst for her next creative masterpiece - “I Hate the Way.” This powerful performance at Whisky a GoGo sends shockwaves through the music industry, drawing attention from record labels.

However, Johnno’s lingering resentment simmers just below the surface. He breaks into Cassie’s mother’s home, Marisol Salazar (Loren Escandon), and issues an ominous warning to Luke. As Cassie’s health begins to falter, her blood sugar levels plummeting into a crisis, Luke rushes to her side, helping her recover and sharing a tender moment that hints at the depth of their love.

The next day, Luke confronts Johnno, exacting a brutal revenge before relinquishing the money and issuing a stern warning: stay away. But Johnno’s treachery knows no bounds; he reveals Cassie’s mother about Luke’s troubled past to her. When Cassie confronts Luke, he confesses his darkest secrets: a stolen car, a reckless drive, and a desperate loan from Johnno to cover the debt.

Cassie demands a divorce, insisting that Luke vacate their apartment by the next day. As Luke goes for a solitary run, he’s ambushed by MPs, informed by Johnno of their fraudulent marriage. Luke’s father calls Cassie, detailing the impending trial and its dire consequences.

In the courtroom, Luke takes full responsibility, pleading guilty to his transgressions, acknowledging that Cassie was unwittingly complicit in violating military law. His sentence: six months in the brig, followed by a Bad Conduct Discharge. The once-promising future they had envisioned lies in tatters, as Luke’s life is forever altered by the weight of his past and present mistakes.

The curtain rises on a pivotal moment for Cassie’s music career as her band takes the stage at the iconic Hollywood Bowl, opening for the mesmerizing Florence and the Machine. Amidst the electric atmosphere, Cassie takes a poignant pause to dedicate her latest composition, “I Didn’t Know,” to Luke - an emotional tribute born from the uncertainty of his trial. As the haunting melody fills the night air, Cassie’s voice soars with raw vulnerability, pouring out her soul to the sold-out crowd. The performance is nothing short of transcendent.

In a poignant turn of events, following the show, Cassie makes a last-minute plea to Luke, confessing her deep-seated love for him mere hours before his impending incarceration. With tears streaming down her face, she implores him to hold onto their connection, leaving Luke visibly moved by her impassioned declaration. As a symbol of their enduring bond, he places his wedding ring on her finger, whispering words that will forever resonate: “it’s real now.”

Fast-forward six months, and the credits roll on a heartwarming snapshot of Luke and Cassie’s harmonious domesticity. The camera pans across the sun-kissed beach, where they’re basking in the warmth of their love amidst a picturesque picnic with Peaches by their side. This tender tableau serves as a poignant testament to the power of true devotion, as Luke and Cassie revel in the beauty of their life together, forever changed by the depth of their emotions.