Aloha

Brian Gilcrest is a celebrated weapons contractor who returns to Hawaii, the place where his career milestones began, hoping to smooth over a complicated past. He reconnects with the woman he once loved, while unexpectedly crossing paths with Captain Allison Ng, a by-the-book Air Force officer who keeps a sharp eye on his every move. As old loyalties clash with new ambitions, the temptation to blur lines between duty and desire tests Gilcrest. The island's beauty and political backdrop frame a romance that plays out amid a mix of humor and earnest moments, avoiding easy answers and dramatic swerves. The humor arises from miscommunications and cultural misunderstandings, while a quiet tenderness underpins a summer romance with real stakes for all.

Directed by Cameron Crowe, the film uses an original screenplay and was released in 2015. It pairs Bradley Cooper as Brian Gilcrest with Emma Stone as Captain Allison Ng, supported by a warm Hawaii setting and a $37 million budget.

Reviews were mixed, with praise for the chemistry between Cooper and Stone while others found the tonal shifts and cultural sensitivities uneven. The film probes themes of personal duty versus romance, the pull of career advancement, and the friction between idealism and corporate pragmatism. Some viewers found the humor uneven.

Set against a lush Hawaiian landscape, the film drew attention to how place shapes relationships and to questions about cultural portrayal. It yielded few lasting quotes or scenes that entered the wider pop culture, yet it sparked discussions about balance between spectacle and sensitivity in broader conversations. Some viewers disagree.

Box office performance was modest, with a worldwide gross of $26,250,020 against a $37 million budget, marking an underperformer status relative to expectations, even with a widely anticipated cast and appealing tropical setting that summer and fell short of expectations.