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Maid in Manhattan

With the abhorrent aftertaste of "Sweet Home Alabama" plaguing my tongue, I went into "Maid in Manhattan" with the lowest expectations possible, hoping to ensure that somewhere I would find some measure of fun in watching New Yorkers falling in love in the Big Apple, rather than watching them head south for some lip-smacking amongst the cornbread and square-dancing. And yes, I'm happy to report that this Jennifer Lopez vehicle outshines Reese Witherspoon's redneck romance in every way, shape, and form. ***

But put it in the same category as some of 2002's tidier romantic comedies and dramas, and it's all-too-apparent that "Maid" is in need of some room service. In a year that saw such a refreshing change of pace with exercises like the sleeper hit "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," or the more literate-mindedness of Neil LaBute's "Possession," I was all I could do not to note just how formulaic and derivative this "Cinderella" wannabe really is. It's harmless fluff of the highest order, but when are filmmakers going to start giving us something behind the glossy appeal of shiny stars and lofty production values? And when will they stop including the obligatory dog as a pet? ***

Lopez plays Marisa Ventura, a chambermaid at a four-star New York hotel who spends her days cleaning rooms to support herself and her young son. She's been unlucky in the love department, being a single mom and all; family life hasn't been so kind to her either, as her mother constantly nags her about her lousy choices. One day, when she reluctantly tries on an expensive outfit in one of the guest's rooms, things change: she's mistaken for one of the wealthy by Senate-hopeful Christopher Marshall (Ralph Fiennes), who instantly takes a liking to her, and she to him. But what happens when the charade is over, and their love affair is reduced to the standard meller concerning the social ladder and a clashing of cultures? Sure... why not? ***

Any elementary school student could easily pinpoint the plot's turns minutes before they rear their heads, but the filmmakers aren't concerned with things like inventive story structure and fleshed-out characters. This is formula in every sense of the word, working in some ways and missing the mark in others. Lopez is a good enough actress given the right material, but for someone who was able to make the ludicrous "Enough" completely enjoyable, it's evident that she's capable of much more. She shares very little chemistry with Fiennes, who walks around like a marionette throughout the entire movie. Devotees of this genre will likely find these obstacles harmless, and believe me, there were moments when I wanted to as well. But after all is said and done, pressed and folded, "Maid in Manhattan" is in need of some serious dusting.

Overall, the image quality for "Maid in Manhattan" is very good, but the drawbacks are everpresent in the edge enhancement halos, which run rampant throughout the presentation. This is no more evident than in the exterior scene of the first encounter between our two lovebirds, where the halos become enormous if looked upon closely. Other than this, everything else looks terrific: color saturation and fidelity is excellent, contrast and shadow delineation wonderful, and small object detail striking, with almost no noise or artifacts to mar the image. Good, but not great. ***

The sound is mastered in Dolby Digital 5.1, and considering the movie, it's modest but well-presented. Most of the track is dominated by natural-sounding dialogue and music, the latter of which is integrated nicely into the rears, while also engaging a moderate low end every now and then. Everything sounds as it should, and for what it's worth, I was pleased with the results.