Maid in Manhattan (2002)

I can understand Jennifer Lopez being in this stupid piece of fluff that has no point, but why, oh WHY were the other actors in it? Three great British actors: Ralph Fiennes, Natasha Richardson, Bob Hoskins - I know they can do better than this! J-Lo was good in the Wedding Planner, but watching this movie made me realize what a lousy actress she really is. The story is one that's been told a hundred thousand times - and has been done a hundred thousand times better. There was nothing new here, no new ideas, not even a good laugh. They call it a romantic comedy, but it's not. It's J-Lo pouting for two hours. Ralph and Natasha try to throw in some comedic elements, but they're stuck with really unfunny lines (Natasha's "I've been dumped" speech for one). Bob Hoskins has the one good speech in the entire film, but even he can't save it. Why was he in it? Why? I don't think we'll ever know.

Fmovies: I rented Maid in Manhattan the other day and watched it last night, but before I had watched it, I looked at the rating on IMDb and I saw the low rating and I was like "Oh, no, I've picked another bad movie". I don't know why I wanted to see this movie, just I figured I needed a romantic comedy in my selection, so I just grabbed it and even after that rating I thought this was going to be a bad movie. But as it turns out this really wasn't a bad movie at all. Yeah, it has minor flaws here and there, this isn't movie of the year, but over all I would say that it was pretty cute.

Marisa is a single mom in Manhattan who is a working maid in one of the top hotels. She is also up for a big promotion as a manager and is hoping to help her fellow employees. When she and a co-worker are just fooling around and wondering what it's like to try on over 5,000 dollars worth of clothes, Marisa gets caught by a politician who her son is excited to meet. She has to convince him that nothing can happen between them without letting him know what she did and who she really is, but it might be too strong of a connection for both of them to let go so easily.

Maid in Manhattan is predictable and I think Marisa's character wasn't really as developed as I would like her to be because she came off as kinda rude and judgmental. But over all, I wouldn't say this is a 4.5 rated movie, I think people were probably just jumping on the movie because it is Jennifer Lopez, I would agree, I'm not into her either, but I can't resist if I do like a movie or not and I wanna be honest if I like a movie. So please just give the movie a shot if you're looking for a sweet romantic comedy.

5/10

So, let's see. A hotel maid meets a candidate for the Senate, except that she's all fancied up when she meets him so he doesn't know she's a maid - he thinks she's some rich socialite - and they fall in love until reality comes crashing in. Sounds like Cinderella. There's even some folk cast in the wicked stepmother role, except in this case it's the wicked hotel guest (Natasha Richardson) whose identity Marisa the maid (Jennifer Lopez) steals.

This really was a sad case for a movie, filled with completely unbelievable scenes: Marisa is really going to be allowed to borrow a fabulously valuable necklace from the hotel jewelry shop? 10 year old Ty (Tyler Posey) is really going to be able to get into a news conference with a Senate candidate - and ask questions?! And Ralph Fiennes as a serious Senate candidate?

Believe me, this is not worth the effort of watching.

2/10

Maid in Manhattan fmovies. Somebody brought the DVD. After the movie was over, nobody would own up as to who had the brilliant idea. Well Wayne Wang, remember "Smoke"? Ralph Finnes for heaven's sake, a very particular actor, very choosy or so I hear and Jennifer Lopez in the hands of a good director can deliver, remember "Out of Sight"? No. The movie seems written by people who've never seen a Preston Sturges or a Billy Wilder movie. It is a sub TV movie of the week. Even Bob Hoskins playing the Hector Elizondo part of "Pretty Woman" can't save the day. Only Natasha Richardson in an all out performance managed to make me smile. There was a time in Hollywood, not so long ago, when you could get a film made if you had Steve Guttenberg in it. Jennifer Lopez is the Steve Guttenberg of the new millennium. I don't understand how something so thoughtless, tasteless and utterly un-redeeming could get made in Manhattan, Hollywood or anywhere else. Somebody should tell Jennifer Lopez that she's not Audrey Hepburn or Jean Arthur. There is a sort of hardness about her that makes her anti-romantic. Her wardrobe as the Maid of the title is utterly insane. As is every attempt at sincerity. I'm sure Jennifer Lopez has talent but not certainly for romantic comedies. She keeps making them though. I bet she would be great in steamy melodramas. I would cast Miss. Lopez in the Bette Davis part in a remake of "Beyond the Forest"

The story? Cliché, cliché, cliché, the umpteenth remake of Cinderella with not a single interesting addition. The script? Formula (and lame at that). The cast? Jennifer Lopez's turn as Cinderella/Sabrina proves she does not remotely belong to "rags-to-Princess" roles; she is galaxies away from Audrey Hepburn or Grace Kelly (or even "Pretty Woman" Julia Roberts), no matter how expensive the jewelry or costumes she wears. Ralph Fiennes seems to be on an O.D. of Prozac, with a perennial foolish smile on his face, wishing he were Cary (or even Hugh!) Grant -- shame to see a talented actor in such a puffy role. Natasha Richardson is wasted in the obligatory dumb blonde part, Stanley Tucci hams it up irritatingly, Bob Hoskins knows and shows his role is an embarrassment. On a less negative note, kid Tyler Posey is a real charmer, and manages to survive his "cutie" part. The direction? Well, no doubt Wayne Wang is a professional and I hope he was paid a LOT of money to lend his prestigious name to this fluffy cake - I only wish the word "professionalism" were taken more seriously, as in "professional integrity"...Where is the Wayne Wang that directed the surrealistic "Life is Cheap...But Toilet Paper is Expensive" and the cool "Smoke"?

Sit through this only if you are in a hypoglycemic fit; otherwise watch "Sabrina" once again and marvel at real star power, witty dialog and charm to spare!

It might not be Oscar material, but it is a cute movie - so if you like Jennifer Lopez or wants to spend an evening on the sofa with your girlfriend, this movie is a good choice. Nice acting from all parts and a cool soundtrack with Norah Jones.