Aloha

Writer/director Cameron Crowe wastes both the likable stars and their strong performances in an ill-conceived cinematic misadventure about a military contractor (Bradley Cooper) returning to Hawaii at the crossroads of his life. A half-assed attempt to tap into the same themes that Crowe used nearly a decade before with Jerry Maguire, Aloha lacks both the heart and brains of the filmmaker's earlier work.

What's sad is Crowe gets strong performances across the board. Cooper is well cast as are Rachel McAdams, as his ex with a secret, and Emma Stone, as the younger soldier he will inevitably fall for. Sadly, it's Crowe's story telling that's the downfall here (and his choice to largely ignore any Hawaiian actors in pivotal roles doesn't help the staging of the film which, for the most part, could have been done completely on a Hollywood sound stage). It's been 15 years since Crowe crafted a film I've loved, and a decade since he's made one I even like. Aloha is simply the latest misfire of a once promising career.

Available on both Blu-ray and DVD, extras include commentary from Crowe failing to explain his mistakes with the film, a three-part documentary on the making of the movie, a gag reel, deleted scenes, and assorted short featurettes on various aspects of the film including music, space travel, and the military.

[Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, Blu-ray $30.99 / DVD $26.99]