After a four-year absence, Cameron Crowe is making a return to the big screen with a star-studded romantic comedy, but it seems not everyone is happy to see him back.
His new film Aloha has come under fire for “whitewashing” its view of Hawaii with a cast that includes Bradley Cooper, Emma Stone, Rachel McAdams and Alec Baldwin.
The Media Action Network for Asian Americans (MANAA) has released a statement expressing anger at the film-makers for failing to recognise the fact that Asian-Pacific Islanders make up the majority of the state’s population.
“Caucasians only make up 30% of the population [of Hawaii], but from watching this film, you’d think they made up 99%,” said the MANAA. “This comes in a long line of films - The Descendants, 50 First Dates, Blue Crush, Pearl Harbor - that uses Hawaii for its exotic backdrop but goes out of its way to exclude the very people who live there. It’s an insult to the diverse culture and fabric of Hawaii.”
Aloha stars Cooper as a military contractor who falls for a pilot at the same time as he reconnects with his ex.
The film has had a troubled post-production, with rumoured reshoots and heavy editing required. The original release date shifted from an awards-friendly week last December to 29 May in the US.
Sony, which is releasing Aloha, has yet to comment.
