DVD Movies: Maid in Manhattan DVD Movie

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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.

Marisa Ventura (Jennifer Lopez) is a chambermaid in a luxury hotel, where she meets and falls in love with Christopher Marshall (Ralph Fiennes), a handsome, debonair heir to an American political dynasty who is staying there. Marisa is a single mom who's a maid in the hotel where Marshall is running his campaign. Marshall bumps in to Marisa when she's coaxed to try on a few fancy clothes in the hotel room of a model, played by Natasha Richardson -- who's deliciously catty in her role. Marshall incorrectly assumes that Marisa is a guest in the hotel; he invites Marisa and her son to walk with his dog -- and they fall in love before she has a chance to say she doesn't belong in those clothes.

When her real identity is revealed, however, the truth sets in about the disparity of their lives.

Marisa is surrounded by her well-meaning co-workers, a butler played by Bob Hoskins, and her carefree friend played by Marissa Matrone, and a cast of other sidekicks who are delightful (including "Six Feet Under" mom Frances Conroy who's appropriately stiff and uncompromising as Marisa's boss).

Marshall seems a bit lost in the world of super-models and schmoozing, and cares more about hanging out with his dog. He's a guy with a good heart, but he's surrounded by his [silly] assistant played by Stan Tucci, who wants him to concentrate on the campaign.

It's completely what you'd expect from a romantic comedy: two disparate people from completely different worlds who have no business falling in love, but are captivated by each other despite the fact that everyone around them is keeping them apart.

Yeah, it's Cinderella, "Pretty Woman," "Notting Hill," "You've Got Mail" just about every romantic comedy that's come out in a long time, but this has a complete and perfect supporting cast. One of the best supporting cast members, however, is Marisa's son Ty played by first-timer Tyler Garcia Posey, as a 10-year-old who loves to listen to Simon and Garfunkle and writes reports about Richard Nixon. He's disappointed about an absentee father who never shows up to school functions, but Marisa cheers him up with a set of the Nixon tapes.

The romance is as believable as a fairy tale can be, and there are some appropriately funny moments, especially when Marisa finds herself sitting on a magazine on a park bench and realizes that it's featuring Marshall on the cover. "I almost sat on your face," she says, and then giggles.

Lopez is coming to her own as an actress; she's charming, sweet and honorable as Marisa, so much so that Hoskins, who at his gallant and repressed best, mutters to Marisa, "It has been a great honor to have worked with you."

Lopez holds her own as the struggling single mother trying to work her way up from the basement laundry of an upscale Manhattan hotel. In Marisa she presents a character that you truly believe grew up in the projects, and now lives uptown, a couple of notches above the poverty line. Lopez does a good job of portraying Marisa's mixed feelings about applying for a hotel management position and getting involved with Christopher. She even convinces you that Marisa might fall for someone played by Fiennes. The combination of Lopez and Fiennes, after all, suggests oil mixed with especially cold water.

Fiennes does just fine as the dashing Marshal, and the ladies will be happy. If the true measure of a gentleman is how he treats dogs and children, Fiennes steals many of the best scenes in this Cinderella update, gamely playing opposite a Wiemaraner and a lonely, eccentric boy. Fiennes never gets Hugh Grant loose here -- and you still wouldn't apply the word "chemistry" to the pairing -- but he's likable and doesn't strain too hard to smile.

Caroline Lane (Natasha Richardson), the snooty Sotheby's socialite who's got the hots for Christopher, is the most obnoxious character, but no one's a true villain. Everything in "Maid in Manhattan" is exceedingly pleasant, designed not to offend. It goes down easy, leaving virtually no aftertaste.

Somehow it all works, even if the poor-little-rich-girl scenes are not as memorable as Julia Roberts at the polo match in "Pretty Woman," or Melanie Griffith taking the ferry to Manhattan in "Working Girl." The prospective senator's cat-and-mouse courtship with the wary, once-burned maid inches forward at a plausible pace. Even though Marisa's son doesn't instantly gain a new dad, he's just happy to have an occasional friend, finding a sympathetic ear with the candidate, who gives him tips on how to stay cool in front of a school audience.

The payoff for romantics and evening dress designers everywhere is Lopez floating into a museum fundraiser. The hip-hop queen cleans up nice, and the scene provides the movie's best line: When she tells Marshall he's got to stop pursuing her, he replies, "Well, then you should have worn a different dress."

Little touches by director Wayne Wang stretch "Maid in Manhattan" out of its starchy plot uniform. Annoying hotel guests raiding extra soap from the maids' carts in the hallways made for one such telling insight. Bob Hoskins playing a head butler a bit past his prime made for another.

And so, having no expectation going in to "Maid in Manhattan," I was pleasantly surprised how much I liked this romantic comedy with the same-old-Cinderella-story fairytale.

"Maid" has Lopez starring as a single mom working in a Plaza-esque hotel in Manhattan to support her gifted son Ty (Tyler Garcia Posey). When a ritzy hotel guest, Caroline Lane (Natasha Richardson), asks Marisa to send an outfit she doesn't want back to the boutique, Marisa is duped by her friend to try on the $5,000 ensemble. Before she has a chance to get out of the outfit, Marisa's son bursts through the door with senatorial candidate Christopher Marshall (Ralph Fiennes). Before Marisa knows it she is caught up in an excursion with Marshall and her life becomes a lot more complicated. If Marisa could breathe she may actually enjoy this new lease on life. Of course, Marisa does her best to ignore Marshall, but Marshall is smitten and goes on a quest to find this mystery woman.

Where the story is headed is no shocker, but it's the getting there that's the charmer. We get winning performances from everyone involved. Lopez's portrayal of Marisa is so convincing, we don't doubt this woman is from the Bronx. We also never doubt she's educated enough to pass herself off as high society. Also rising to the occasion is Fiennes, an actor so charming he can make even a politician look like a nice guy. Lopez and Fiennes also have a believable spark that's very important in a romantic comedy.

The supporting cast in also impressive, including Richardson, Bob Hoskins and Stanley Tucci. It was smart to cast their caliber of talent in this movie, but it does seem at times, that they and their talent are wasted.

"Maid in Manhattan" is predictable, but charming, with winning performances from the entire cast. What more can you ask for from a romantic comedy?