Title: THIS IS HOUSTON (1 & 2)

Sequel: END OF THIS IS HOUSTON

Starring:  Ini Edo, JJ Bunny, Pascal Atuma, Rex Otuka, Valentine Ekweanua, Okawa Shaznay

Synopsis: 

It’s about competition, love, and war in the city of Houston with “wannabe” actors, cheating husbands, and lesbian affairs.  

Review:

“This is Houston” consists of several stories. First there’s Nicole (JJ Bunny) who had dreams of becoming an actress. She and best friend, Lola (Okawa Shaznay) , auditioned for a movie but Lola feared Nicole would win the role so she decided one-upmanship was the way to go. Lola “bad mouthed” Nicole to the producer and ruined her reputation.

As a result, Nicole was shut out of the game but guess what? She had bigger plans. She decided to produce her own movie but the naysayers still attempted to sabotage her endeavors.

The next storyline is about Florence (Ini Edo) who’s married to Julius (Rex Otuka). They have everything – money, good looks, and a beautiful home. But why should Florence have it all? A busybody woman decided to interfere in their marriage and succeeded in manipulating one against the other. Their marriage became one of distrust and turned sour. When Julius was at his wits end he befriended Nicole and there was romance in the air however, he failed to mention he was married.

Other subplots centered on Carol (Cynthia Masses), a woman that cheated on her husband with a woman.  Instead of the lesbian affair ruining her marriage, her husband wanted in on the action. There’s also a sugar momma/broke guy storyline.

Let’s Talk. “This is Houston” is written by and stars JJ Bunny. The movie most likely mirrors her life because for the most part people write what they know. It sheds light on some of the ills in the movie industry and what shiesty movie producers are capable of. While some roles call for talent, others depend on what one is willing to do in exchange for the part.

There was some really good dialogue in the movie. It highlighted that Nigerians operate under the premise of African culture and respect yet their actions sometimes contradict their ideals. Ted (Valentine Ekweanua) wanted respect due to his age yet he used his position as a movie producer to take advantage of young girls. Does that behavior warrant respect?

The underlying message here is about jealousy and the pitfalls of being attractive. If you’re pretty (male or female) it’s almost as though you shouldn’t be allowed any further blessings. God forbid you’re beautiful, intelligent, AND successful because unfortunately, this is bothersome to many. It’s such a waste of energy to hate those who want to excel. It serves as nothing more than a deterrent to one’s own progress.

While people wallow in envy and negativity the world continues to move on. People that are born to achieve greatness will do so whether they are supported or not. As JJ Bunny poignantly pointed out in this movie that dreams should not be killed because of the ignorant. Her plan to make a difference is what motivated her and she has clearly chosen to rise above the noise.

Even best friends can harbor feelings of resentment. Nicole (JJ Bunny) thought her relationship with Lola was tight but Lola turned against her and joined a group of women that were jealous of Nicole. Yes, birds of a feather will flock together and they don’t realize that fear is their common denominator.

The movie ends abruptly and not all story lines were concluded. It’s not clear if Florence and Julius found the root of their problem or if Nicole succeeded in getting her movie made. Maybe a sequel is on the horizon.

Cinematography, sound, and performances were satisfactory. In this case, it’s all about the message, not the movie.   RECOMMEND

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