Rated PG-13 for some language/sexual references.
105 Minutes

Directed By: Wayne Wang
Written By: John Hughs and Kevin Wade
Staring: Jennifer Lopez, Ralph Fiennes, Natasha Richardson, Stanley Tucci, Tyler Posey, Bob Hoskins, Marissa Matrone, and Amy Sedaris

To serve people takes dignity and intelligence. But remember, they are only people with money. And although we serve them, we are not their servants. What we do, Miss Ventura, does not define who we are. What defines us is how well we rise after falling. -Lionel

Synopsis

A senatorial candidate falls for a hotel maid, thinking she is a socialite when he sees her trying on a wealthy woman’s dress.

Review

The chick flicks end here.  I can do no more, though it was easier getting them over with, in a bunch.  Now, I can focus on some gratuitous action or Sci-Fi for a bit.  Surprisingly, Maid In Manhattan wasn’t worse than Monster In Law.  It was just more boring.  It’s kind of a Cinderella story about a woman who is a Maid at a five star hotel in Manhattan.  When a handsome younger political candidate arrives with his entourage, he mistakes the maid for a socialite while she was playing dress-up with an actual socialite who was a guest in the hotel.  The two fancy each other, and the maid tries to carry out the case of mistaken identity as far as she can.

The character’s were likable, had some forced back round, but all in all were likable and easy to connect with, even if it was just superficially.  Jennifer Lopez didn’t really have to stretch her acting range to the point of her being uncomfortable, and RalphFiennes was so charming the scenes he was in kept you awake.  Natasha Richardson (RIP) was great as the snobby socialite accidentally tossed into a non-love triangle.  She was beautiful and striking as usual.

The biggest problem with Maid In Manhattan was that it was just BORING.  This story has been done a hundred different times in hundreds of different ways.  There was nothing new brought to the table, there was nothing updated from other “Cinderella” tales.  It was the same story, with the same confusion, and even an evil step-sister (Richardson) and step mother who happened to be her real mother.  At one point she even runs out of the ball.  If there were a clock I’m sure we’d see the stroke of midnight somewhere.  Copying something is only worthwhile if you can make it better or very different.  This movie was neither and that made it a snoozer.

I wouldn’t ever see this movie again, but not for the reasons I had predicted.  J-Lo not obnoxious.  The story itself wasn’t horrible, probably because it was directly copied from something better.  It was just boring.  If you do dare to watch this film, I implore you to drink some coffee.  I can’t say I hated this movie, because I felt nothing one way or another.  The Verdict?  Boring and forgettable.

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