Director: Cameron Crowe Starring: Bradley Cooper, Emma Stone, Rachel McAdams, Bill Murray, John Krasinski, Danny McBride, Alec Baldwin Writer: Cameron Crowe | 3/5 Aloha Around 2005, when director Cameron Crowe made Elizabethtown, all of the good vibes he created with classics like Almost Famous, Jerry Maguire, and Say Anything began to die out big time. Today, he is mostly known for making star-packed, predictable, feel-good flicks. Many critics cannot stand them. Sure, they feel a bit phony, plastic, and untouched by human hands at times, but Crowe directs these sun-soaked films with a verve and a belief in his stories that I cannot help but admire. I feel no shame in admitting how great We Bought a Zoo makes me feel every time I watch it - how many times, I’ll never tell. Those hoping Crowe would break the formula he’s been using for the past decade can sink down in defeat. Just about every single one of his films centers around a once-great man who has since grown bitter bitter or sad, only to stumble upon a special woman who changes his view on life and gives him a second wind. That’s basically Aloha to a T. The disgruntled man is Brian Gilcrest (Bradley Cooper, relaxing a bit after the dramatic overtime of American Sniper), a military contractor trying to get back on top in the very place he once found happiness: Hawaii. Thrown into the mix are a bunch of A-list stars in supporting roles, some used more effectively than others, to help Brian Gilcrest on his road to redemption and happiness. First off, there’s Carson Welch, the billionaire who hired Brian Gilcrest - in case you have not noticed, you will get tired of hearing that name by film’s end - to help launch a rocket into space. Gilcrest is obviously some rocket scientist who can do stuff like this; I never quite understood the technicals of his actual job. If you find yourself feeling the same way, have not fear. What’s really important are the personal, love-centric connections. |
He is barely off of the plane when he is both reunited with an old flame, Tracy (Rachel McAdams in a lovely turn), and introduced to his new flame, a rambunctious, by-the-books pilot who goes, questionably, by Ng (Emma Stone). Trapped in the middle of all of these feelings is Tracy’s husband Woody (John Krasinski), who conveys his feelings with stern looks and firm pats - Crowe gets a few good laughs out of this. You won’t have to spend more than five minutes with this bunch to figure out what is going to happen, and that applies to every last subplot, of which there are too many.
One particular scene with real-life Hawaiian activist Dennis Bumpy Kanahele, despite the fact that it is actually pretty enjoyable, feels tacked on solely to prevent too much whitewashing. Mission failed. One of the biggest complaints fired at Aloha was the film’s disregard for the island’s culture. These claims may be a bit over-exaggerated. Crowe attempts to incorporate cultural myth into his story, but he mostly fumbles when it comes to using it as a narrative device. His parallels and metaphors never quite flesh out in a natural way, unlike Alexander Payne’s use of some of the same material for The Descendants.
At the end of the day, can a movie that features Bill Murray and Emma Stone dancing to Hall & Oates really be that terrible? Sure it is not going to win Crowe any more screenplay Oscars, but he has made a fairly descent, light-weight movie for a date night. Whether or not Crowe can reclaim his boombox-carrying, “You had me at hello” excellence is up in the air. Films like Aloha, frankly, are perfectly serviceable and better than half the romantic comedies being made today. Either way Crowe decides to go, I think we will be OK.
One particular scene with real-life Hawaiian activist Dennis Bumpy Kanahele, despite the fact that it is actually pretty enjoyable, feels tacked on solely to prevent too much whitewashing. Mission failed. One of the biggest complaints fired at Aloha was the film’s disregard for the island’s culture. These claims may be a bit over-exaggerated. Crowe attempts to incorporate cultural myth into his story, but he mostly fumbles when it comes to using it as a narrative device. His parallels and metaphors never quite flesh out in a natural way, unlike Alexander Payne’s use of some of the same material for The Descendants.
At the end of the day, can a movie that features Bill Murray and Emma Stone dancing to Hall & Oates really be that terrible? Sure it is not going to win Crowe any more screenplay Oscars, but he has made a fairly descent, light-weight movie for a date night. Whether or not Crowe can reclaim his boombox-carrying, “You had me at hello” excellence is up in the air. Films like Aloha, frankly, are perfectly serviceable and better than half the romantic comedies being made today. Either way Crowe decides to go, I think we will be OK.