A Case for Cameron Crowe's Aloha
The word "aloha" has a lot of meanings, and many would say one of them is "shitty movie." But wait! Hear me out…
Last night I watched Aloha, a new-to-me star studded film that’s front and center in my Netflix algorithm. I am a HUGE Cameron Crowe fan. I’m fascinated by and in awe of his life experiences, consume his soundtracks (look for a related Monster Mixtape soon), and love his characters and subtle storytelling. I even adored audience flops Vanilla Sky and Elizabethtown. Almost Famous is my all-time favorite movie.
Then how might you ask did I not know about Aloha, which came out almost a decade ago? Please know that when I say I love a band or an actor, etc., that does not mean I’m touting trivia, following all the socials, memorizing every script, lyric and stat. My Topamax addled brain does not do stats. Not since Leon “The Bull” Durham have I had an obsession that all-encompassing. So yes, I love Cameron Crowe, but no, I had no idea this movie existed until it popped up on Netflix. And until I Googled it afterward, I had no idea how much people disliked it. But I also feel like a lot of people who didn’t like it, simply didn’t get it. This is not a movie that spoon feeds you character development1 and it doesn’t have an “easy to follow plotline.”
Baltimore Magazine’s Max Weiss said, “Half the time while watching Aloha, I had no clue what was going on. Not so much the plot -- although I was admittedly a bit muddled on that, too -- but why anyone acted the way they did.”
Ranked by many websites and film reviewers as his worst movie, Steven Rea of The Philadelphia Inquirer says a “kerplunking emptiness” runs through it2. The Film Magazine calls it “the only oversized misstep of Crowe’s career.” But I’m telling you I loved it. If you sent me a note asking if I liked Aloha, and to check one box, I would check the shit out of that yes box.
What some called boring, I experienced as a fly-on-the-wall mix of coziness and exhilarating discomfort, slurping up the subtleties in every exchanged glance. Aloha has a wondrous quality that toes the whimsical line, with magical moments that enhance the present rather than promote an escape from it. And can we talk about the dance scene with Emma Stone and Bill Murray? For me, that’s the best dance scene in a film since John Travolta and Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction.
This film was funny in places that needed it, and in ways I didn’t expect. And holy shit, the scene at the end between Bradley Cooper and the girl almost brought me to tears. How is it not considered a seminal scene in Hollywood history?
Cameron Crowe, if you’re reading this, and are one of those creators who believes if they reach just one person it’s all worth it, I’m your gal. Also, can we please trade adolescences?3
Do you love a movie that’s disliked by most? Please share in the comments. Start a dialog, start a revolution.
This “buy once, cry once” cordless Dyson I got on sale is the most fun I’ve ever had with a vacuum.
I’m pretty sure I’m putting the Nuun kids through preschool4 with the number of tablets I ingest daily. Because of it, I’m the closest I’ve ever come to being fully hydrated. This is my favorite flavor.
Usually when I gush about hummus (which is more than you’d think) I’m secretly wishing that it was spinach artichoke dip or queso, but I truly, madly, deeply love Ithaca’s French Onion Hummus.
I recently discovered the band Grandaddy via this post by Kate Bingaman-Burt. They have a quirky, indie space rock vibe a la Flaming Lips that I desperately craved to spiff up my Spotify algorithm. Thanks for the intro, KBB!
A sidebar on character development pet peeves: I can’t stand it when a script has one character saying to another “Hey, Sis!” to establish the sibling relationship. I have never heard anyone genuinely address their sister as “Sis.”
A Kerplunking Emptiness Runs Through It… the dystopian, existential sequel to A River Runs Through It. You heard it here first.
I know this isn’t really a word. It’s cool, my poetic license is current.
Who can afford college these days?