Aloha

I always hate writing reviews for films where I don't have much to say.

It always takes such a long time to get a decently lengthy post in order to tell you what I'll probably tell most people in a few sentences when they ask, "How was Aloha?"

It was okay. Simply okay.

Critics are currently ripping it to shreds, and as usual I'd say they are overdoing it a tad. Maybe their expectations were too high though? I certainly know that mine were.

For a film with a cast containing Bradley Cooper, Emma Stone, Rachel McAdams, Bill Murray, John Krasinski, Danny McBride, and Alec Baldwin, and directed by Cameron Crowe (who has been at the helm of some great films in the past), you'd think that this one would have come together far better than it does.

And that's really the issue of Aloha: it just doesn't really come together to form anything meaningful. It's incredibly difficult to explain what happens in less than a burly paragraph unless you were to boil it down to: Brian Gilcrest (Cooper) finds himself. The issue is that Aloha has no central plot -- rather it's a combination of a bunch of subplots that the film tries to tie together through the lens of "Hey! These people all know each other!".

"At least we got a free trip to Hawaii!"

If I had to take a stab at it, Aloha tells of Brian travelling back to Hawaii. Some aspect of his past, that is never incredibly well defined, still haunts his reputation and he is put on a mission to bless some Hawaiian land. This then turns into him meeting Ng (Stone) and running into his ex-girlfriend, Tracy (McAdams), not to mention his old boss, Carson Welch (Murray) who wants him back. If I further described the plot to you, I'd be willing to bet that you thought I was pulling your leg, which at a few points I thought the film was doing to me. It takes an incredibly random political stance on civilian weapon-hiding satellites for example...

Wait, what the f**k?!

Like I said, it just doesn't really come together into anything that resembles a worthwhile story. Many critics are claiming that it isn't a cohesive tale. I'd agree with them, but I'd say that's less of the issue than the fact that there just really isn't a story to be told here in the first place. Additionally, and this reminds me of 2013's uber-disappointment, The Counselor, the script in Aloha isn't very good with words. Some conversations feel natural, but others feel forced, like the characters are trying to say something grand -- something that wouldn't be said, at least not in the way they are saying it, in a real conversation. The words being said might look gorgeous on paper, when they are strong, stimulating quotes, but when delivered awkwardly among somewhat unrelated banter between two characters, it's really, really odd.

"And I got to keep these sweet aviators!"

"We also get free drinks! YAY!"

Those severe issues aside, there is a decent amount to enjoy in Aloha. For starters, contrary to current controversial articles circulating the internet, it pays great homage to Hawaiian culture, and the scenery itself is gorgeous. The actors, although stifled by the disjointed plot and odd script, are happy to be filming in Hawaii and there is some fun chemistry among everyone. It's actually fairly enjoyable to watch for most of its short duration (105 minutes). The soundtrack is also well chosen and has a lot of great tracks, some of which are Hawaiian-based.

Aloha is a bit of a minor tragedy. I was certainly looking forward to something witty, special, and fun. It's fun enough, but any wit or special romance that I anticipated was hampered by some of its more fatal errors. In a slower month, I would have probably been more kind to this film, or at least recommended that you see it if you had a free afternoon. But in a summer this busy, and with as great a month of May as we've had, there's just far too many better films in theaters right now.

Say "Aloha" to those films instead.

CONS:

• The cinematography of characters, especially when they are talking in close proximity, is really bad. The frame is always claustrophobically close to their bodies
• Just a bunch of subplots rolled into a film lacking a main, overarching plot. Most of these subplots don't really come together
• Did I mention that one of the subplots in particular is super odd and also takes a really out-of-left-field political stance?
• Decent script at times, but there are instances where words spill out of characters' mouths as if trying to create some great quote for all to remember. I'm sure it looked good on paper, but no one really talks like that, guys

PROS:

• Great cast that seems to be enjoying themselves and they do the best with what they are given
• Hawaii is a beautiful place to look at. No doubt about it. The film does a solid job at honoring Hawaiian culture
• Some laughs to be had
• Short and sweet
• Well-chosen soundtrack

Rath's Review Score: 5.5/10