Maid In Manhattan (2002)

Directed by Wayne Wang
Starring Jennifer Lopez, Ralph Fiennes, Natasha Richardson with Stanley Tucci and Bob Hoskins

by Joshua Simpkins

The Big Apple is one tough city. It’s a hard knock life. It’s particularly hard for a single Hispanic mother from the Bronx. Especially, when her no good ex-husband is off with some tramp spending the holiday weekend in Miami when he is supposed to be at his son’s speech for school and take him camping. It’s real hard! I hear you, girl! Preach it!

Meet Marisa, played by J-Lo, who is a maid at a high-end hotel in Manhattan. This hotel has rules, and Marisa follows them. She might even make manager one day. At least, that’s what her friend, Stephanie, thinks which is why she secretly applied for Marissa. Marissa doesn’t want it. She doesn’t think she deserves it. She doesn’t even think she deserves to try on a guests throwaway $5000 dollar suit. She’s J-Lo so she does anyways. Meanwhile, her son, who is wandering the hotel because his Dad has bailed on him for the weekend (see above, Preach it, girl!) meets New York politician Christopher Marshall (Ralph Fiennes) and brings him into the suite. Marshall sees J-Lo in the suit, mistakes her for a guest named Caroline, and BAM…we have a chick flick!

It's hard to believe J-Lo is a maid, but somehow it works. J-Lo makes us believe. Why? Because she is J-Lo. That's what she does. The decent cinematography and direction helps us believe as well. It's called suspension of disbelief. So, if you don't believe that J-Lo would be a maid in some swanky hotel in Manhattan. Well, then, Maid In Manhattan, might not be for you. If you can believe, like Seal says, that you could fly, and you believe J-Lo can be maid. Then, BAM...you have a chick flick to watch! Preach it!

LThis movie was better than I thought I was going to be. Like I said, J-Lo played Marisa with some believable depth, although the story had a few plot holes, it was completely enjoyable. I was wary about Ralph Fiennes as a love interest, but he played his the politician believably. It did of course have the cheesy line;

“Are your running away from something you want or running away because your afraid to want it?”

Or something like that. Believe me…it was the macaroni and the cheese.

A fun bit of trivia…this movie was originally supposed to be directed by John Hughes, based on a story he conceived. But, that fell through. Many of you will know John Hughes, through his 1980’s bratpack movies, Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, and Weird Science. I must say, John Hughes is the shizz! That would have been awesome!

FORCE THE BOYFRIEND: 5 out of 10 (It's up to whether or not he can believe!)

Beer Pairing Recommendation

A great beer to pair with Maid in Manhattan would be something delicious that you can drink at a upscale event. I would say something latin for that J-Lo flavor but I would still drink it at a big reception….Dos Equis Green. BOOM! Do it!

Remember, Please drink Responsibly

 

For more on Maid In Manhattan, visit IMDB 

For on Dos Equis XX Special Lager, visit DOS EQUIS