Everybody's a Critic - 'Maid in Manhattan'

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The setting is New York City, where money and power abound, and you are either accustomed to being served or to being a servant.

This is where Marisa Ventura, (J Lo), a hardworking single mom, is responsibly caring for and raising her son, Ty, who is 10 and an exceptionally insightful and gifted child.

Marisa earns a living as a maid at the luxurious Beresford Hotel, where the servant's creed is "Strive to be invisible." This is very difficult for a beautiful, intelligent and driven woman with goals.

As fate sometimes dictates, Marisa becomes involved with Chris Marshall (portrayed by Ralph Fiennes), who is not only a hotel guest but a powerful politician. In their initial meeting, circumstance causes Marisa to pose against her will as another influential guest. This leads to a series of dramatic events.

"Maid in Manhattan" is a Cinderella story that is well worth the price of admission.

- Karla Marquart, realtor

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Maid in Manhattan is an update of a classic fairy tale. Marisa Ventura (Jennifer Lopez) is an inner-city divorced mom who has worked her way up from the projects to a position as a maid in a four-star hotel. Chris Marshall (Ralph Fiennes) is today's version of prince charming, a playboy politician in New York City on business. The two are brought together when Ty (Marisa's son) meets Hall in the elevator. At the same time, Marisa is persuaded by her friend to try on an expensive outfit and find out how the other half lives. With a little mistaken identity, the romance takes off from there.

It is a sweet little movie with a few funny lines and a great soundtrack, but there is a lot of sexual innuendo. "Maid in Manhattan" is fun movie to watch.

- Bill Bradley, family nurse practitioner

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The commercials I've seen on TV call "Maid in Manhattan" a funny, romantic comedy reminiscent of "Pretty Woman." I find this somewhat amusing since I hardly laughed and didn't find it romantic at all. It actually lacked everything that made "Pretty Woman" the movie it was.

The script is so awful it reminded me of the theory that if you put 100 monkeys in a room with 100 typewriters, sooner or later they'll write a novel, or in this case a screenplay. There was absolutely nothing interesting about "Maid in Manhattan," and as every minute ticked by I hoped it would end.

It's a shame when good actors do sorry recycled scripts that are far below what you know they're capable of. If you want to see Lopez in a good romantic comedy, go rent "The Wedding Planner" or "Out of Sight." Maybe next time she won't be wasted on such rubbish.

- Tim Bearden, sales