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| Maid
in Manhattan
Directed By: Wayne
Wang Plot
Summary - Review 1 - Review
2 - CURRENT REVIEWS
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| Marisa Ventura (Lopez) is a single mother born and bred in the boroughs of New York City, who works as a maid in a first-class Manhattan hotel. By a twist of fate and mistaken identity, Marisa meets Christopher Marshall (Fiennes), a handsome heir to a political dynasty, who believes that she is a guest at the hotel. Fate steps in and throws the unlikely pair together for one night. When Marisa's true identity is revealed, the two find that they are worlds apart, even though the distance separating them is just a subway ride between Manhattan and the Bronx.[TRAILER] The day has finally come, and I am taking a stand. “Maid In Manhattan,” while cute, is not a good film and I want everyone to know it. I expect letters of disagreement. In fact, I welcome them. This film is an ideal example of the bad direction Hollywood is heading and I will do everything in my power to alter the trend before all films resemble the mundane “Manhattan.” It is a comedy, a romance and a movie of the worst order because it has no real goals or ambition. It is made with a formula in mind, is cast with the safest possible actors and raises real issues of social classes only to gloss them over unaddressed. The story can be summarized in three succinct sentences. Marisa (Jennifer Lopez), a maid and single mother working in Manhattan, accidentally stumbles upon Christopher (Ralph Fiennes), a kind Republican assemblyman who is staying at her hotel. With Marisa dressed in fancy clothing, Christopher mistakes her for a wealthy guest and asks her on a date. All is well, until Marisa realizes that her place in society will never permit the romance to last, and she cuts it off. Now, I hope I am not ruining the film for anyone, but it ends happily. Yes, surprise surprise, Christopher and Marisa end up together. And as they reconcile, the class issue is completely dropped from sight. The assemblyman it seems is happy with his lowly maid lover. If I sound cynical, it is intentional. “Maid In Manhattan” is everything I despise about modern Hollywood, where fluff triumphs over substance and originality is nowhere to be found. Ah yes, a woman of a lower class falls in love with a handsome good-doer. Sound like “Pretty Woman” anyone? And a single mother must overcome obstacles to find true happiness. Does “Jerry Maguire” ring a bell? And a spontaneous final meeting leads to happily ever after? No, I’ve never seen that before. “Manhattan” has no originality, offers no surprises, and uses those previous films as a crutch for a weak story And this is just one reason why “Maid In Manhattan” borders on insulting. Another failing of the movie is its discussion of class. We are meant to sympathize with Marisa and her situation, feeling sad that she cannot follow her heart due to her wallet. But shockingly, the film completely ignores the issue in the film’s final moments. I was expecting “Maid In Manhattan” to show Christopher and Marisa discovering each other’s inner beauty, and that would overcome any financial obstacles. But instead, the issue drives them apart, and is never discussed again. It is an appalling example of insincere screenwriting. The biggest problem with “Maid In Manhattan,” however, and the most disturbing issue with most recent romances, is that there is no real reason for these two people to fall in love in the first place. First, we never learn anything about either Christopher or Marisa. Christopher is the token, cute, smiling guy. And Marisa is the wise-cracking, down-to-earth, strong woman. But their attractions are never explained or developed. “But what about love at first sight?” some may ask. Alright, I can enjoy films about that, but then why do Chris and Marisa separate so easily? Why is it only coincidence that lands them their first date? I don’t believe Christopher and Marisa love each other at first sight and we are never convinced that they fall for each other at any point along the path. So here I am, sitting in a sold out theater, with couples smiling all around me. They wanted something cute and here it is. But shouldn’t we expect, no demand something more intelligent—something that tries to connect with us rather than gloss over our eyes? With “Maid In Manhattan,” we have seen this story before. It starts to raise larger issues about class and society, only to abandon them when it matters. It pretends to be a sweet story about love, but then fails to convince us that these two even feel for each other. And I then ask you, if I don’t believe in the characters, their romance, their conflicts, and find the entire film predictable, what is left? Sure, “Manhattan’s” cute, and it’s safe date material, but I promise you that most episodes of “Friends” are more intelligent and sincere. That is not a compliment.  
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