2002, PG-13 105 minutes

Maid in Manhattan is one of those "relationship despite social class boundaries" films that you know is going to be predictable, which is usually okay so long as the story is well-executed and at least has a little spirit behind it. However, in this case solid direction and a decent screenplay are simply not enough to overcome the film's deep-rooted problems.

So what exactly is wrong with Maid in Manhattan? Casting, for starters. While Jennifer Lopez and Ralph Fiennes are both fine actors and both give suitable performances in the film, together they are about as exciting as a couple of soap opera stars. There is no sense of chemistry between them whatsoever, and if we're supposed to believe that they could fall in love with each other so quickly then it is essential that sparks begin to fly whenever they meet (see Lopez and George Clooney in Out of Sight for a good example of this).

Another major problem with this film is the basic concept behind it, which is really something filmmakers have been dragging out for years now. Fiennes plays a wealthy senator and Lopez plays a maid in the hotel he stays at, and because they are from different social classes it's treated like the second coming of Bill and Monica when they make a pair. If you really think about it, isn't this all a little too 1980's? I strongly doubt that anyone would find it shocking for a woman as beautiful as Jennifer Lopez to be dating a senatorial candidate or successful businessman, even if she is "beneath" him. Let's be honest: good looks can easily overcome class differences, but the film fails to acknowledge this as a possibility and as a result I found it difficult to take the story seriously. What would have been far more interesting is if the roles had been reversed and Fiennes was the help while Lopez was the glamorous one - at the very least it would have been a better movie.

I suppose if you aren't expecting much, Maid in Manhattan is acceptable as a light-hearted piece of fluff, but most moviegoers will probably be distracted by its inconsistency in relation to the real world. Let's hope in the future J.Lo starts taking more roles that are appropriate for her, and in the meantime I only recommend this film if you're desperate to see a dull, by-the-book romantic comedy.