Rating: 
Summary: Loved This Movie
Review: I absolutely love this movie. It is so romantic. Granted it is somewhat predictable, still what romantic comedy isn't. Ralph Fiennes and Jennifer Lopez do a great job in this movie as well as the young boy who plays Jennifer's son. I recommend this movie for all romantics...and those who just want to see a feel good, wonderful movie.
Rating: 
Summary: It was fun!
Review: I enjoyed this movie - it was fun to watch even though you knew the end. I thought Jennifer Lopez was charming and Ralph Finnes who is usually so somber and brooding was delightful. The supporting cast was good, especially the young man who played the son. As serious and graphic or just stupid as movies can be today it's nice to go sit in a theater for 2 hours and come out relaxed and smiling.
Rating: 
Summary: another star vehicle
Review: Jennifer Lopez made some interesting films early in her career (mid 90s) such as U-Turn, Money Train (small part) and Out of Sight. She was on her way to becoming a dependable character actress. Then she morphed suddenly from Jennifer Lopez to J-Lo, media and pop superstar. Since then, Lopez has turned into a pretty, female Hispanic version of the early 1960s Elvis - churning out bad movies in between forgettable pop albums, one after another. Her films are largely vehicles to show off how adorable and talented she is. Lopez is clearly trying to reclaim her working class roots by making this film about an Hispanic single mother who somehow gets the rich (white) guy. If this film is another failure, Lopez should fire her agent and start looking for smaller parts in less "Hollywood" productions. Movie audiences didn't buy J-Lo, media superstar, as an abused wife or cop and they might not buy this role either.
Rating: 
Summary: Maid in Manhattan
Review: Marisa Ventura (Jennifer Lopez) is a struggling maid in one of New York City's top hotels. Juggling her work with the raising of her 10 year-old son (Tyler Posey), Marisa dreams of a better life, but is afraid of taking a risk to achieve it. Enter Chris Marshall (Ralph Fiennes), a senatorial candidate who has grown weary of the campaign trail. When an incident involving mistaken identity leads Chris to believe that Marisa is a guest of the hotel and not the help, he is instantly smitten with her. Soon enough, Marisa finds herself in over her head, unable to reveal her true vocation to her admirer, and, also in the process, trying not to jeopardize her co-workers' (including Bob Hoskins and Chris Eigeman) jobs with her tomfoolery. Trapped inside this decidedly traditional, "Cinderella" style romantic comedy is a charming little picture with an unusual filmmaking pedigree behind it. Director Wayne Wang, who made a more artistic choices in his earlier pictures with "The Joy Luck Club," and "Smoke," takes the reigns of this big time Hollywood film. Coming off his deliciously lurid stripper vs. internet geek fantasy "The Center Of The World," "Maid" feels like a sort of palate cleanser for the filmmaker. `Maid' is a rather unchallenging film, and Wang is just the man to flex some romantic comedy muscles that may have atrophied a little bit in recent years, and brings some freshness to the worn-thin genre. "Maid In Manhattan" isn't anything to scream about, but it's an appealing picture, made with care, and just light enough to fit perfectly with the holidays. While Wang attempts to stay within expected parameters, his filmmaking skills transform deathly predictable material into something enjoyable, and even a smidge touching. The biggest working component in "Maid" is Jennifer Lopez, who for the first time in a long time, is able to squeeze out some actual onscreen appeal in a way her off-screen persona has been overshadowing in recent years. There is little to no "J-Lo" in Lopez's performance as Marisa, and she actually makes the leap into fusing a little reality into her blue-collar role. After all the years singing about how "real" she is, here's a role that actually showcases some honest-to-god sweetness underneath all the glam. It's revelatory, especially after what I thought would be her career-ender, last May's "Enough." Ralph Fiennes is unexpected here as well. The normally uncompromising, chilly actor takes the opportunity within "Maid" to warm up, and drop his usual pretences. Initially, the sight of Fiennes smiling and being so jovial is disconcerting. After all, this is the same man after all who tore up the screen in "Red Dragon," playing the frequently naked, tattoo covered, human-lips-eating serial killer Francis Dollarhyde. Watching him kissing ladies, shaking hands, and being nice to children takes some time to get used to. Soon enough, it isn't so weird to see Fiennes court Lopez, and by the end of the film, I really appreciated the risk Fiennes took here by playing way outside his normal range of characters. I wouldn't say he has a future as a Cary Grant-type, but this is another interesting choice for the ferociously talented performer. Being light and bubbly is in "Maid In Manhattan's" best interests, for when it steps outside of this, and tries to engage a not-too-subtle class conflict subplot, the effect drowns the picture instantly. Rich vs. poor is just fine for other features, but "Maid" doesn't need it. There are already enough conflicts (both comedic and dramatic) between Marisa and Chris to keep the film occupied, without Wang and screenwriter Kevin Wade ("Junior") trying to interject gold-digging suggestions into the plot. It doesn't make too much sense within the story, and it radically betrays the characters' initial motivations. There are already too many "you go, girl!" moments and barely tolerable cutesy clichés to fend off, the film doesn't need to get this absurd. This was a surprise, I'll be perfectly honest. Until her raging celebrity wore off a bit, I had written off Jennifer Lopez's abilities and charisma, but here you go - honest proof that it still exists.
Rating:
Summary: Sweet and charming but predictable
Review: Romantic comedies are a dime a dozen, rarely do we get to see any fresh ideas from a genre that is too often plagued with clones of each other. However, it is also a very profitable one, since the general audiences tend to go for the feel good movies around the holidays. So what does Maid In Manhattan has to offer? Or is it just another formulaic addition you can pass up? Marisa Ventura is a maid working for a high profile hotel in New York. One day, while doing a routine round of cleaning the rooms, her co-worker talks her into trying on a guest's outfit. Just then, her son Ty enters with Chris Marshall, a senatorial candidate who is in town to promote his campaign. Catching Marisa off guard, she pretends to be a hotel guest and agrees to go on a short stroll in Central Park with them. The two soon hit it off, and even though Marisa understands that she is way out of her league, Chris is persistent in wanting to get to know her better. The only problem is how long can she keep the charade going? The rags to riches story is nothing new (à la Pretty Women), the same goes for the case of mistaken identity (While You Were Sleeping). These are but two of the numerous clichés employed in Maid In Manhattan. Furthermore, even though the political aspect of the plot allowed some interesting interactions between the characters, it was ultimately under utilized and often seemed more of a distraction than an asset to the film. I also had a hard time coming to terms with the relationship between Marisa and her mom, who for some unknown reason went out of her way to criticize and discourage her daughter in everything she does. Then there's the absent father, which I thought was going to play an important part with all the big fuss that was made in the beginning of the movie, but he just sort of disappeared and never to be heard from again. Good writing pays attention to little details like these, but instead they are just glossed over. Fortunately, Maid In Manhattan is supported by a solid cast. Ralph Fiennes is surprisingly charming as the charismatic Chris Marshall. An accomplished actor in classic dramas such as Schindler's List and The English Patient, I wasn't sure what to expect from someone who has never had a lead role in a romantic comedy. Jennifer Lopez was equally likeable in the role of Marisa. I admit of having my doubts about her, especially after the disastrous showing in Enough, which I consider as one of the worst movies this year. Luckily she did a fine job in a part that seemed to be tailored just for her, and the on screen chemistry was definitely there between the two leads. Stanley Tucci is hilarious playing Chris' aide Jeremy, but Tyler Posey was not very effective as Marisa's son Ty. Predictable and derivative, Maid In Manhattan is nevertheless a sweet and an entertaining movie. It's not a bad way to spend a night at the theater, but in an already crowded season filled with quality films, I would not recommend it unless you've already seen everything else.
Rating:
Summary: Acting keeps the movie alive.
Review: Meet Marissa. She is a single mom who works at a fancy hotel. It seems simple enough to follow the rules and make sure the guests have their requests honored. Things get messy when her co-worker convinces her to try on a guest's outfit.
Jennifer Lopez and Ralph Fiennes are excellent actors and manage to keep the story alive with the help of an excellent supporting cast--mainly Marissa's very intelligent son and her hyper-sexual co-worker.
The only thing wrong with this movie is that it is not original. It is a teen/adult version of 'Cinderella'--but that achievement still belongs to 'Pretty Woman'.
MAID IN MANHATTAN is rated PG-13 for one bad word and suggestive language.
Rating:
Summary: "Tonight, the maid is a lie!"
Review: "Maid in Manhattan" is the latest in what I presume will be a very long line of frothy J.Lo vehicles. Is it a great movie? Nope. Is it a good movie? Eh, kinda. Actuallty, it's pretty much a decent Saturday night date movie: no more, no less. The plot concerns the romantic entanglements of a maid (Lopez) working in an upscale New York hotel. She dreams of someday becoming a manager, which evidently no maid has ever done (that's America!). One day while cleaning out a suite, she is persuaded by a friend to try on the designer clothes of a wealthy guest. While wearing them she is spotted by a famous politician, also staying at the hotel. He assumes she's rich, she doesn't correct him, and we're off on the old "mistaken identity" plotline. I would say the screenplay for this movie is just slightly above average, with the characters slightly more fleshed out than we've come to expect from the Hollywood romances of today. The role of Lopez' gifted son in particular is both unusually well written and well played. The one true bright spot here is Ralph "Call me Rafe" Fiennes, playing the politician. He is just great in anything. This is a different kind of role for him: no tortured souls, no misery, just lightweight romance. He pulls it off very nicely. All in all, I would give this movie about a B- or a B ( I incline towards a straight B when remembering Fiennes). I didn't exactly laugh, but I did smile. (Which is more than I can say for "The Wedding Planner".)
Rating:
Summary: unreal...
Review: politicians often mix business with personal life (so this part is plausible) but this movie is not very good because it is so predictable...
Rating:
Summary: boring same old story
Review: this film is probably going to bomb. there is so much competition for the movies when this film will be released, and the story is worn out. Already people are making the comparison that this is another Pretty Woman story -- a rags to riches story of how a woman rises to the top. Why is that she needs a man? This is the 21st century. A woman can rise to the top on her own.
Rating:
Summary: caught it in production
Review: not much of a review but more of a comment. i was in nyc this summer when this movie was being filmed at the waldorf astoria and i must say that it should be big. jennifer lo has serious whip appeal and ralph fiennes is pretty tough. it would be a shame to see this movie flop.
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