Responding to the reactions to a film in a review is something I generally frown upon; however, I am willing to make an exception in the case of “Aloha.” Before Sony could release any trailers or marketing materials, studio head Amy Pascal’s scathing comments about Cameron Crowe’s film hit the Internet and sealed its fate. The film said the “goodbye” aloha before it could say the “hello” aloha. And then, once the critics finally got ahold of the final product, the nail was in the coffin.
So when I finally got around to seeing “Aloha,” I came with unavoidably low expectations. I did not seek to answer the question of whether it was good or bad; I just needed to know how bad. Watching a film in that mindset makes for an entirely different experience, akin to being a child in a doctor’s office waiting for a shot with eyes clenched shut. You know the pain will come soon but are clueless as to when.
I kept waiting for “Aloha” to come apart at the seams. Maybe the relationship between paramilitary contractor Brian Gilcrest (Bradley Cooper) and his spunky Air Force escort Allison Ng (Emma Stone, unconvincingly playing part-Asian) would just become a little too far-fetched. Or perhaps Brian would wreck the marriage of his ex-flame Tracy (Rachel McAdams), leaving the life she built with her kids and husband Woody (John Krasinski) in shambles and destroying all sympathy for the characters. Any number of plot points, from the relations with native Hawaiian tribes to an odd space mission, could easily have gone south.
Yet, against the odds, “Aloha” manages to survive its shortcomings and remain a mostly enjoyable time at the movies. Sure, the script could have benefitted from some retooled dialogue, a few reordered or rewritten scenes for the sake of clarity, and a narrower narrative scope. As is, though, Crowe has the basis for a charming – but not disarming – romance with a superfluous side helping of story critiquing the military-industrial complex.
Marshall and the Movies 
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