A Senatorial candidate falls for a hotel maid, thinking she is a socialite when he sees her trying on a wealthy woman’s dress.
Everything that can go wrong goes wrong for hardworking single mom Marisa Ventura (Jennifer Lopez) in “Maid in Manhattan.” The movie came out back in 2002, which makes it 18 years old and yet it’s still quite relevant but not every single person has a phone, so they have actual conversations. The only real problem with the film is the pace tends to be on the slow side. Also, the love story just doesn’t quite live up to the necessities of us romantics who want a prince charming.
Marisa lives with her ten-year-old son Ty (Tyler Posey) and works as a maid in a five-star hotel to make a living. She’s the best employee there, the other employees are good, but Marisa is management material. A co-worker convinces her to try on a fancy outfit going back for returns in one of the guest’s room. As she puts the clothes on against her wishes to appease her friend, Ty brings an up-and-coming politician into the room. Ty met Christopher Marshall (Ralph Fiennes) in the elevator and wanted to help him walk his giant dog.
All three go out for a walk with Marisa looking like a guest and not a maid. This, of course, complicates things when Chris falls for her, but just like with the manager position, Marisa doesn’t want to add more to her plate and tries to avoid this new love connection. Suddenly, she’s dealing with both and has to try and maintain both without Chris, who, we discover, is staying in the hotel. Of course, this is easier said than done as she ends up caring for his room. Just like Cinderella, she gets invited to go to a ball, but there are no glass slippers, and if there were, she would have to clean them.
The movie just falls a little short. Jennifer Lopez was more at home in “Shall We Dance” and “The Wedding Planner” while this role feels forced and too tight. She had more chemistry with Matthew McConaughey than she does with Ralph Fiennes. The kid Ty is the best part of the movie, as he’s obsessed with decades-old politics. The supporting cast works fine but overall, the new spin on Cinderella is just so-so but still a fun movie for a girls’ night in with a tub of ice cream on a rainy night. Just make sure you follow it up with “The Wedding Planner.”
Now available on a Blu-ray/DVD Combo from Mill Creek Entertainment
