Is there anything that Alex Aiono can't do?
The young musician has already headlined three international tours and collaborated with
the likes of John Legend and Conor Maynard.
But now, Aiono is a movie star, too.
In Finding 'Ohana, Aiono plays Ioane, the quick-tempered older brother of pre-teen treasure-hunter
Pili.
Like his sister, Ioane is looking forward to a calm, relaxing summer in New York, where
he grew up.
However, when his grandfather Kimo has a heart attack, his plans change.
Without any warning, Ioane and Pili's mother whisks them away to Hawaii, where his grandfather
lives.
When news gets out that Kimo is in danger of losing his house, Pili begins a dangerous
search for a sailor's long-lost treasure.
Reluctantly, Ioane tags along.
For Ioane and his family, the stakes couldn't be higher.
Shortly before Ioane gets dragged into Pili's quest, their mother gives Ioane some unwelcome
news: She's thinking of selling the family's Brooklyn apartment and moving everyone to
Hawaii.
Understandably, Ioane is upset.
He doesn't want to give up his life in New York, and for the first time, he gives audiences
a glimpse of how deep his inner turmoil goes.
"Do you know how hard it is to raise two kids alone in New York?"
"Yes, mom.
Every time I hit the bodega, or I make dinner, or I do laundry because you can't."
"That's not fair."
"What's not fair is losing my whole life because you feel guilty about leaving Hawaii when
dad died."
"How dare you."
It's a stunning and heartbreaking scene, and it's one of the most important ones in the
movie.
It also proves that Aiono is just as good on screen as he is in the recording booth.
Alex Aiono started recording music when he was only 14 years old.
Like so many other stars of his generation, he made his name on YouTube.
His early singles, like "Doesn't Get Better," are danceable pop tunes with lyrics targeted
straight at teenagers.
They're fun and catchy, but as Aiono told The Los Angeles Times, they don't really reflect
who he is.
Over the past decade, Aiono has gone on to prove that he's both an extremely talented
musician and a daring artist.
Following a brief stint with Interscope Records, Aiono released his latest album, The Gospel
at 23, on his own label, which gave him the freedom to make a record that's informed by
his specific experiences, beliefs, and tastes.
For his Finding 'Ohana character, this scene functions in much the same way.
For most of the movie, Ioane is arrogant, grouchy, and has a very short temper, and
his foibles are played almost exclusively for laughs.
"What's that?"
"Oh, the second sign we're in hell.
The first being no wi-fi."
But, as this gutting scene with his mother reveals, Ioane isn't a caricature.
He's a person, with understandable problems and resentments and a vibrant, complicated
internal life.
It just takes a scene like this to bring it all together.
As a musician, Aiono has amazing range.
He plays 10 different musical instruments.
He started writing pop songs, became famous by mashing up hip-hop with reggaeton, and
just released a gospel album.
As an actor, Aiono is just as versatile.
Early in Finding 'Ohana, Ioane offers a lot of comic relief.
Ioane's constant bickering with his sister, or his cringeworthy attempts to flirt with
Hana, succeed because of Aiono's natural charisma.
"So Hana, we should...oh, these are nice."
What you may not expect is that Aiono is capable of so much more.
There's nothing funny about Ioane's argument with his mother.
His anger is justified, intense, and very, very real.
His work in this scene also sets up additional turns later in the movie, which sees Ioane
take on the role of romantic lead, fearless adventurer, and, most importantly, loving
big brother.
Aiono's performance in Finding 'Ohana is already impressive, but it becomes doubly so when
you realize that this is his very first movie.
"See?
Piece of cake."
And yet, Aiono is already able to hold his own with veteran actors like Kelly Hu, who's
a legend of the entertainment industry.
Their chemistry in this scene is undeniable.
But that's not the best part.
For Aiono, scenes like this one are only the beginning.
By all indications, he'll get even better as time goes on.
After all, Aiono didn't get where he is today by accident.
If Aiono devotes the same attention to his acting as he does to his music - and there's
no reason to think he won't - he'll definitely be someone to keep an eye on.
Watch out.
Aiono's coming in strong.
"I have a confession.
I'm not as strong as I look.
I only went to one crossfit class.
It was a free trial.
I'm so sorry."
Thanks for watching.
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