5 things nobody wants to admit about Purple Hearts

2. Purple Hearts 2 doesn’t need to happen

Since the release of the movie in July 2022 and its subsequent success, a vocal percentage of the movie’s fandom has been adamant about a sequel. The demand for a follow-up movie has even reached Carson and Galitzine, as well as the director, who have each expressed interest in returning to the world of Cassie and Luke to explore their next chapter.

The end of the movie pretty much ties up their story: Luke releases from prison after six months, and he and Cassie are happily married. While a sequel could expand upon the elements that were missing, such as how they were able to put aside their fundamental differences and what that realistically looks like, it shouldn’t have to. That should have happened. Unlike Cassie, leave this movie as a one-hit wonder.

1. Nicholas Galitzine is the best part

If there’s one thing that we can all hopefully agree on, it’s that Nicholas Galitzine makes any watch of Purple Hearts worth it. Not Luke… Nicholas Galitzine. When the movie was released, and even to this day, there are viewers who swoon over Luke. But it’s the actor who brings him to life that shines, and it’s necessary to separate the actor from the character in this case.

Galitzine more than proved himself in his pre-Purple Hearts work, but following his Netflix movie debut, he’s had another breakthrough year with Amazon Prime Video’s smash rom-com Red, White & Royal Blue and the beloved teen comedy Bottoms. In each role, he showcases the range and versatility of his talent as a performer, and that’s also apparent in the military romance.

He doesn’t by any means make you like Luke, but he makes you empathize with him. Luke battles addiction recovery, family issues, and some deep-seated toxic masculinity. Galitzine’s portrayal is careful and considered, neither making Luke a real villain nor a perfect hero. Without Nicholas Galitzine, it’s hard to imagine Purple Hearts would be nearly as watchable.

Watch Purple Hearts only on Netflix.