REVIEW: “Aloha” falls flat
By Abbey Fisk,
Bluedevihub.com Staff–
“Aloha” did not quite out-swim the competition of its opening weekend, with major competitor “San Andreas” attracting most moviegoers along the fault line, according to Box USA Today.
The romantic comedy “Aloha,” takes off when Brian Gilcrest (Bradley Cooper) returns to Hawaii and is given a second chance to follow his dreams. Upon arrival, Gilcrest is reacquainted with his ex-girlfriend, Tracy Woodside (Rachel McAdams), who is now married to a hard-working Air Force recruit (John Krasinski).
Since he was previously blacklisted for questionable military work in Afghanistan, by-the-book Alison Ng (Emma Stone) is assigned to assist Gilcrest for his first mission back as a military contractor.
Throughout the film, Gilcrest and Ng build a hesitant romance as their mission goes from “blessing of a pedestrian gate” to a conflict that could spark an international crisis of space.
The movie, directed by Cameron Crowe, fell a little short of expectations. The truly talented cast made the story come to life, but the whole film lacked detail; people were waiting for more.
The movie failed to go into detail about some of the most interesting events, leaving viewers disappointed. Audiences learn about Gilcrest and Woodside’s teenage daughter, but other than one scene where they hug to acknowledge that she is his daughter, there are no more details about the possibilities of that future relationship.
It’s confusing how “Aloha” could have strayed like a lost puppy from Cameron Crowe’s past films like “Jerry Maguire” and “Almost Famous.” Some may say it’s dangerously close to a repeat of “Elizabethtown.”
It keeps you wanting more well past the end, but not in that great “what’s going to happen next” kind of way many teen dramas like “Gossip Girl” and “Teen Wolf” may have. This confusion left thoughts incomplete.
Overall this film was unsteady, different, but entertaining. The gorgeous scener y of Hawaii speaks for itself as an unforgettable setting for a semi-forgettable movie.
