Purple Hearts - Ending Explained

The plot of "Purple Hearts" culminates in the exposure of Cassie and Luke's fraudulent marriage. Luke's vindictive ex-dealer, Johnno, after being paid off and beaten up by Luke, retaliates by informing Cassie's mother about the arrangement, which leads to the military being alerted. Cassie, furious that Luke's past put her mother in danger, throws him out. Luke is then arrested and faces a court-martial.

At the trial, in a pivotal act of sacrifice, Luke pleads guilty and takes full responsibility, falsely claiming he coerced Cassie into the marriage and that she was unaware it was illegal. This act is a manifestation of his love and protects Cassie from facing any charges. He is sentenced to six months in the brig, to be followed by a Bad Conduct Discharge from the Marines. Meanwhile, Cassie's music career takes off, and she is set to open for Florence + The Machine at the Hollywood Bowl. During the show, she performs "I Didn't Know," a song about her unexpected love for Luke. Immediately after, she rushes to the base to see him before he is imprisoned. There, she confesses that their marriage has become real to her and that she loves him. Luke reciprocates, giving her his wedding ring and telling her, "It's real now." A final scene, set six months later, shows Luke as a free man, happily together with Cassie and their dog, Peaches, on a beach, confirming their love story has triumphed.

While the filmmakers intended "Purple Hearts" to be a story about bridging divides, a significant alternative interpretation views the film as a piece of military propaganda that ultimately validates a conservative worldview. Critics of this interpretation argue that the narrative structure forces the liberal character, Cassie, to do most of the compromising. Her initial anti-war and anti-establishment stances soften considerably, while Luke's core conservative values are never fundamentally challenged; instead, his personal flaws (addiction, anger) are what he overcomes. The romance is seen as a vehicle to make his worldview more palatable.

Furthermore, this interpretation suggests the film uses genuine social issues—like the broken healthcare system and economic hardship—as mere plot devices to create a scenario where dependence on the military institution becomes the only solution. The controversial scene with the racist toast is pointed to as a key moment where the film's attempt at balance fails; Luke's weak defense of his friend and his silencing of Cassie are seen not as a nuanced portrayal of a flawed character, but as an implicit endorsement of that culture. From this perspective, the "purple" heart isn't a balanced mix, but rather a blue heart that has been largely colored red.