Maid in Manhattan
March 11, 2003
- Dan Ramer,
DVDFile.com
Like a pendulum swinging between extremes, Jennifer Lopez seems to
move back and forth with some regularity between hard-edged roles
(Anaconda, The Cell, Angel Eyes, Enough) and softer, more romantic
characters (Out of Sight, The Wedding Planner, and the object of this
review, Maid in Manhattan). This most recent film is a modern
retelling of the Cinderella fable, complete with the inevitable happy
ever after ending. I'm not giving anything away here. Only the most
cynical will fail to anticipate the film's resolution after the first
ten minutes.
Lopez is cast in the Cinderella role, here named
Marisa Ventura. Her drudgery isn't in the kitchen of a wicked
stepmother, but as a maid in an upscale hotel. She isn't a typical
maid; she has aspirations (and fears) of working her way into
management. And while others around her on the subway are reading
their tabloids, she's immersed in Alice Miller's The Drama of the
Gifted Child: The Search for the True Self. She's a single mother,
divorced from an indifferent father, and her innate intelligence may
have been passed along to her young son, Ty (Tyler Garcia Posey). He's
politically precocious; he follows the views and voting records of
current candidates and has become an expert on Richard Nixon, pretty
impressive for someone who hasn't even reached Jr. High.
There is no wicked stepmother in the show, but her mother, Veronica
(Priscilla Lopez), comes close. She holds her daughter down, asserting
that she will never do better for herself than to clean other people's
toilets. The wicked stepsisters are represented by rich and very
British Caroline Lane (Natasha Richardson) and her American friend,
the condescending Rachel Hoffberg (Amy Sedaris). And we mustn't forget
Prince Charming. He's Christopher Marshall (Ralph Fiennes), a charming
and surprisingly down to earth candidate for the senate. When he
accidentally walks in on Marisa, reluctantly trying on Caroline's
expensive clothing at the insistence of her friend and fellow maid,
Stephanie (Marissa Matrone), that sets the stage for the beginning of
an impossible relationship and a deception that runs through most of
the rest of the film.
Marisa is torn. If her transgression is
discovered she'll be fired, and it's inconceivable to her that
Christopher could possibly be interested if he knew who she really
was. Yet, she's drawn to him. The fairy godmother of the show is
Lionel Bloch (Bob Hoskins), a suite floor butler who deduces that
Marisa is hiding some secret link to this prominent guest.
Cinderella's mousey support group becomes Marisa's friends in the
hotel's service group. When Marisa has a chance to attend a formal
affair with Christopher at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, they help
transform her into a vision of loveliness, complete with a Harry
Winston diamond necklace. She's determined to break it off with
Christopher, that night, before she's hurt too deeply. She will not
leave a clue behind at that ball, but she will give him quite another
souvenir before they part. We will discover that Ty is the glass
slipper, the little bit of magic on which the couple's happiness will
turn.
Lopez again delivers a warm and natural performance.
I've written in my other reviews of her films that I may not
appreciate her music, but I very much enjoy the sincerity she projects
from the screen. Fiennes and Richardson are particularly good here.
Fiennes has never been more personable onscreen and Richardson is
delightfully dim as the spoiled rich girl who's after the
candidate.
Video: How Does The Disc Look? The
film's original aspect ratio of 2.35:1 is presented in anamorphic
video and this is a typical Columbia TriStar presentation, which is to
say that in many ways, it's quite good. Colors are vivid, noise free,
and are totally without smearing. Flesh tones are very natural,
indicating the accuracy of the hue. Shadow detail in the night scenes
is excellent. Small object detail and fine textures are nicely
conveyed. And no mosquito noise or blocking is visible. But also as is
typical for Columbia Tristar, edge halos are visible and sometimes
spoil the illusion of film.
A second transfer in full screen
is available on a second layer, selected from an additional screen
menu after you choose to play the film. This transfer is pan and scan,
lopping off great chunks of image to force the film into an aspect
ratio of 1.33:1. Audio: How Does The Disc Sound?
 The Dolby Digital track is quite nice. Sound effects, no more
complex than are required to support ambiance and onscreen events, are
convincing. Nothing dramatic here, such sounds are reserved for more
energetic movies. Surround effects are so subtle as to be inaudible.
Either the sound designer had a very light touch that did not call
attention to itself or the balance was maintained at the front of the
room for the entire film. Alan Silvestri's brief score supplements
quite a few source tracks. The music is presented convincingly across
a reasonable soundstage. The dialog, the core of the show, remains
crystal clear throughout.
The alternative language is in
French. Subtitles in French and English are offered, as are English
Closed Captions. Supplements: What Goodies Are There?
This is a feature starved release. All we have is a collection of
very good looking 1.85:1 trailers in anamorphic video. Maid in
Manhattan (2:32) and The Wedding Planner (2:32) are available on DVD.
Anger Management (1:41), Charlie's Angels Full Throttle (2:06), and
Daddy Daycare (1:46) are Summer 2003 theatrical releases. The 105-
minute feature is organized into twenty-eight chapters.
DVD-ROM Exclusives: What do you get when you pop the disc in
your PC?  There are no DVD-ROM features on this DVD, but you
are invited to visit the Maid in Manhattan Style web site for "a
fascinating behind the scenes shopping experience."
Parting Thoughts Don't approach this film with logic
or expecting a credible plot. This is a fable, a romantic fairytale
about two personable people who find one another despite all the
pressures and circumstances that should have made their ultimate
happiness together impossible. It may be feature starved, but this DVD
is recommended as a great date movie.
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