Alternative Character Interpretation: Woody's elation about finding out that Brian slept with Allison, even going so far as to give him a massive hug. Is he happy that Brian has found love again, or is he relieved that his marriage is no longer being threatened since Brian is with someone else? Is it a mixture of both?
Memetic Mutation: Every single time casting notices go around for any kind of non-white role, you can expect a few jokes about how Emma Stone would be perfect.
One-Scene Wonder: General Dixon (played by Alec Baldwin). He is only in a few scenes, including one that was unfortunately given away by the trailer, but he takes charge of every one of them.
Overshadowed by Controversy: The movie was barely a blip on the cultural radar in 2015 and would be completely forgotten already except for the whitewashing controversy. It was still being brought up at the 2019 Golden Globes along with fellow "white actress as Asian character" film Ghost in the Shell (2017), to which Emma Stone audibly shouted "I'm sorry!" from the crowd.
Questionable Casting: The film was heavily criticized and accused of whitewashing for casting the Caucasian Emma Stone as Allison Ng, who is said more than once to be one quarter Hawaiian and one quarter Chinese on her father's side and Swedish on her mother's side. While Cameron Crowe himself acknowledged that it turned out to be a bad decision, he also claimed that the character and her pride of being part-Hawaiian was meant to showcase the kind of racial diversity not uncommon in Hawaii and that she was actually based on a real Hawaiian local. Emma Stone herself also expressed regret about being cast in the role.
Uncertain Audience: The subplot involving the military contraction of Carson's rocket and Brian having to make the decision whether or not to sabotage it is far too heavy for an otherwise fluffy romantic comedy, leading to a film with a very heavy tonal clash, being at once too serious for romantic comedy fans and too lighthearted for fans of military action thrillers.
