Title: BIANCA (1 & 2)

Sequel: END OF BIANCA

Starring:  Van Vicker, Chet Anekwe, Maureen Esealuka, Charmaine Turpin, Best Davis

Synopsis: 

Bianca is a conniving gold-digger that manipulates her way into any man’s life that she believes can provide financial security. After her third husband commits suicide, he leaves behind a will that pays her deservingly. 

Review:

Obi (Van Vicker) was in an unhappy, sexless marriage when he met Bianca (Maureen Esealuka), a divorcee with two children. They instantly connected and Obi eventually left his wife for her. Obi and Bianca married and Bianca gave birth to her third child. Shortly after, Obi experienced financial difficulties and making matters worse, he lost his job. Suddenly, the marriage wasn’t working out as far as Bianca was concerned. 

The story then cut to Attah and his wife, Glory (Chet Anekwe and Charmaine Turpin), who were successfully married for twenty-five years. Attah was soon to have a heart transplant and Glory was concerned for his wellbeing. He survived the surgery and was appreciative that he was granted a new lease on life. He tracked down the donor of the heart and it was none other than Bianca. This is when we learned that Obi, her husband, died in a car crash and Bianca donated his heart.

Attah was so grateful to Bianca for the donated organ that he was willing to do anything for her. She took advantage of his emotions and wormed her way into his life as his nurse and housekeeper. Attah is a successful man and of course, Bianca recognized this. The next thing we know, Attah and Bianca were fooling around behind his wife’s back.

Once again, Bianca managed to get a man to leave his wife for her. Attah married her and once again when the money ran low so did the marriage. This vicious cycle continued and Bianca deceived at least two more men before she was delivered disturbing news.

Let’s Talk. The problem with this movie is that Bianca is a load character that isn’t interesting or likeable. Most flawed characters have something that’s likeable about them. Even in the Ghana movie “Material Girl,” Cassie, the main character, was a gold digger but her ulterior motive was to raise money for her mother’s surgery. With Bianca, she’s a tramp but…. But what? We don’t even see her love for her kids who vanished for most of the story. Of all the comforting hugs she gave the men in her life how come there wasn’t even a kiss and a hug for her kids? She hardly interacted with them.

If Bianca’s intention was to support her children then her actions may have been understandable but that motive wasn’t conveyed in the movie and this is where the writing failed. If only there had been a scene where her daughter whined for a doll or her son needed money for a field trip and cash was low, then that may have created empathy for her as a mother.  The “Bianca” character should have been fleshed out a little more and better defined so that she was understood and more importantly, liked.

Furthermore, when people become involved in a relationship the kids of both parties become a part of the equation. Actually, when love interests initially meet, one of the first questions asked is whether or not one has kids. A woman with young children is normally a “package deal” so for Bianca’s kids to be excluded for most of the movie was utterly unrealistic. 

There’s a scene where Bianca showed up for her first day of work at Attah’s house as a housekeeper. Why was she all dressed up for a housekeeper job? And what ever happened to her career as a nurse? Also, the neighbors that invited Bianca out treated her like she was single. Why would they want to introduce her to Major (Best Davis) when she was a married woman?

As for performances, Chet Anekwe and Charmaine Turpin were outstanding. It’s their family dynamics that balanced out the uncharismatic Bianca and her shenanigans.  Attah and Glory were very believable as a couple and Charmaine Turpin pulled out all the stops as a wronged wife. Her performance was that of dignity and strength. Chet Anekwe is consistent with good performances and he was believable as the duped man.

The cinematography in this movie is fantastic however there were sporadic problems with hearing dialogue. The closing credits had spelling errors and some of the actors names are incomplete.

I did not like this movie but based on Chet Anekwe and Charmaine Turpin’s performances only, “Bianca” deems a reluctant endorsement. Their scenes are worth seeing. RECOMMEND

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