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Netflix’s Promised Hearts is a compelling drama that dives deep into the emotional struggles of love, duty, and sacrifice. Young doctor Niyala (Beby Tsabina) faces a difficult situation when her father couples her to Roger (Deva Mahenra), the son of a wealthy businessman. The marriage is designed to pay off family commitments, but instead plunges Niyala into social and emotional turmoil.
Her world is even more upside down when she finds out her childhood love, Faiq (Dito Darmawan), is wed to someone else, igniting unresolved emotions. Examining how societal demands impact personal actions, the show investigates the struggle between love and obligation.
Promised Hearts addresses issues of sacrifice, loyalty, and the weight of tradition as Niyala negotiates the difficulties of a marriage based on obligation rather than love. Here are seven films that examine similar ideas of love, obligation, and the complexities of relationships for audiences who appreciate Netflix's Promised Hearts.
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Note: The opinions expressed are solely those of the author.
The Last Letter from Your Lover, Atonement, Purple Hearts, and more movies similar to Promised Hearts
1) The Last Letter from Your Lover (2021) - Netflix
The Last Letter from Your Lover is a romantic drama that intertwines two love stories, one in the 1960s, the other in present-day London. After a car crash leaves socialite Jennifer Stirling (Shailene Woodley) with memory loss, she uncovers hidden love letters from journalist Anthony O’Hare (Callum Turner), revealing a passionate affair behind her strained marriage to Laurence Stirling (Joe Alwyn).
In the present, journalist Ellie Haworth (Felicity Jones) finds the letters and sets out to uncover the lovers' fate, reigniting her belief in love. With standout performances from Ben Cross as the older Anthony and a moving script based on Jojo Moyes' novel, the film mirrors Promised Hearts in its themes of emotional sacrifice, societal pressure, and forbidden romance.
2) Your Eyes Tell (2020) - Disney Plus
Your Eyes Tell centers on Akari (Yuriko Yoshitaka), a lady whose vehicle accident also claims her parents and renders her blind. She adapts to her new life despite her sad past. She meets Rui (Ryusei Yokohama), a former kickboxer with a terrible past who has turned away from society to flee his sinister past.
Like Promised Hearts, Your Eyes Tell looks at the emotional instability resulting from the junction of obligation, love, and personal pain. Both tales stress the weight of previous events and the costs paid in the search for love and healing. The journey of the protagonists exposes the enormous personal cost of love and atonement as they face their worst memories and obligations.
3) Atonement (2007) - Netflix
Although slightly older, Atonement remains a timeless exploration of love, guilt, and the consequences of misunderstanding. The film tells the story of Briony (Saoirse Ronan), whose false accusation tears apart the lives of her sister Cecilia (Keira Knightley) and her lover Robbie (James McAvoy). Their love story is marred by the effects of Briony’s actions, as they are separated by time and circumstance.
While Atonement is set in a different era, it shares thematic similarities with Promised Hearts. Both films deal with the impact of decisions made out of duty or misunderstanding. The characters in both stories are forced to choose between their desires and the expectations of others, with life-altering consequences that linger long after.
4) The Wedding Year (2019) - Amazon Prime, Netflix
The Wedding Year is a romantic comedy that, like Promised Hearts, explores the tension between societal expectations and personal desires. The movie centers on Mara (Sarah Hyland), a commitment-phobic lady who discovers she is showing up for multiple weddings within one year. As she dates Jake (Tyler James Williams), she wonders if she can overcome her commitment fears.
Similar to Niyala in Promised Hearts, Mara faced the dilemma of choosing to follow her path or conform to society's expectations of love and loyalty. The Wedding Year is a great pick for anyone who appreciates the emotional tension and self-discovery in Promised Hearts since both tales explore the complexity of love, custom, and personal freedom.
5) The Half of It (2020) - Netflix
Played by Leah Lewis, Ellie Chu is a shy, reserved student who helps a popular jock called Paul, played by Daniel Diemer, write love letters to a girl called Aster, played by Alexis Lemire. A modern rendition of the venerable Cyrano de Bergerac is The Half of It. Despite this, Ellie realizes as she gets to know Aster that she also has affection for her.
The themes covered in Promised Hearts and The Half of It are similar. Both stories include individuals exploring the complexity of their aspirations as well as the emotional issues that show up as a result of society's expectations. Frequently, at considerable personal sacrifice, the characters in both films must face their emotions of love, devotion, and obligation.
6) Call Me by Your Name (2017) - Apple TV, Netflix
Critically praised romantic thriller Call Me by Your Name examines the transient but powerful love between 17-year-old Elio (Timothée Chalamet) and his father's summer guest, Oliver (Armie Hammer). The movie is set in 1980s Italy, where the two men go through a swirling romance that drives them to confront the constraints placed on their situation.
Similar to Promised Hearts, Call Me by Your Name explores themes of love, desire, and the tension between individual fulfillment and societal constraints. Like Niyala's path, Elio and Oliver's relationship is defined by secrecy and emotional turmoil and calls for sacrifice and introspection. Both look at the intricacy of love and the struggle of having strong emotions in a society full of expectations.
7) Purple Hearts (2022) - Netflix
Purple Hearts is a moving romantic story mixing love, sacrifice, and social pressure. The film revolves around a struggling musician, Cassie (Sofia Carson), and a Marine with a traumatic background, Luke (Nicholas Galitzine). Desperate, they agree to a convenient marriage to gain military perks. As they overcome hurdles, secrets, and unexpected emotions, a pragmatic agreement becomes an emotional bond.
Like Niyala from Promised Hearts, Cassie struggles between her dreams and a relationship that started more out of need than love. Purple Hearts shows how, in relationships molded by outside demands and inner struggle, responsibility, sacrifice, and emotional vulnerability can mix.
Meanwhile, Promised Hearts is available for online streaming on Netflix.
