Movie Review: Aloha directed by Cameron Crowe

Aloha, directed by Cameron Crowe, is a romantic comedy with a wonderful cast, a promising story and a number of challenging relationship dynamics. The disjointed nature of the story did however, leave me wondering how much of it was left on the digital cutting room floor. The story revolved around a planned satellite launch by a multimillionaire, the involvement of the American military, and the secret weapons payload that would be on the second launch. Bradley Cooper played Brian Gilchrist as washed up contractor who had gone over to the private sector but maintained ties with the military. His love interests were an old girlfriend, Tracy played by Rachel Adams who was married with two children; and his military liason, Captain Ng played by Emma Stone. Her blond good looks defied her Hawaiian lineage, however the script made sure that she told us how she was in fact 1/4 Hawaiian - more than once.

Set in Hawaii with stunning landscape shots, the story brought in another issue - the fact that the Hawaiians have had to give up their land, with little recompense. Alternatively I did find that this movie made me laugh out loud many times at parts that were just plain funny. The only humility I could find were from Tracy’s (Rachel McAdams) children, Grace and Mitchell. Mitchell (Jaeden Lieberher), a wannabe camera man with sincere interest in Hawaiian mythology, was clear and direct in his interactions with the adults in the movie. Grace (Danielle Rose Russell) embodied her name - a quiet respectful girl who was learning the hula as part of her extracurricular activities. One of her final scenes was beautiful as she expressed emotions without any words.

“Cinema is a matter of what’s in the frame and what’s out.”

~ Martin Scorsese

Cast of Main Characters:
Bradley Cooper - Brian Gilchrist
Rachel McAdams - Tracy Woodside
Emma Stone - Captain Alison Ng
Bill Murray - Carson Welch
Alec Baldwin - General Dixon
John Krasinski - John ‘Woody‘ Woodside
Danielle Rose Russell - Grace Woodside, 13 year old daughter of Tracy and ‘Woody’
Jaeden Lieberher - Mitchell Woodside, younger son of Tracy and ‘Woody‘

Rated PG-13