Brian Gilcrest, a military contractor and former Air Force officer, returns to Hawaii at the request of billionaire Carson Welch, who plans to build a space center there to launch a privately funded satellite. His job requires him to negotiate with Native Hawaiian leaders, which brings him back into contact with Tracy, his former girlfriend, now married with two children. He also meets Captain Allison Ng, an Air Force liaison whose idealistic outlook stirs feelings he thought he had left behind. As the project moves forward, Gilcrest faces moral dilemmas and personal tensions that test his loyalties and his understanding of duty.

How it was made

Cameron Crowe wrote, produced and directed the film, reuniting with composer Jónsi after their work together on We Bought a Zoo. Shooting took place in Hawaii in late 2013, with Bradley Cooper arriving on the islands only shortly before principal photography began. Emma Stone trained on the ground to fly a Piper PA44-180 Seminole, guided by Rob Moore, chief instructor pilot of a local flight company, who also flew the plane for the aerial shots and advised on aviation matters. Alec Baldwin joined the cast in mid-2013. Sony financed roughly half of the 37-million-dollar budget, with New Regency and RatPac contributing the rest. The score was written by Jónsi and Alex and released as a soundtrack album in May 2015.

Reception and legacy

The film opened on May 29, 2015, after its release date had been moved several times. Critics responded largely negatively, with a 19 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a Metacritic score of 40 out of 100. It grossed about 26 million dollars worldwide against a budget of 37 million, a result that made it a commercial disappointment. The casting of Emma Stone as a character of Asian and Hawaiian descent also drew controversy, with Asian American and Native Hawaiian critics accusing the film of whitewashing. Crowe apologized and later acknowledged that the casting was a mistake. The film is now mainly remembered as one of the more notable commercial setbacks in its director's career.