Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.5
Overall		3.0

Maid in Manhattan Blu-ray Movie Review

This 'Maid' is made for Blu.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman February 22, 2010

Today's a new day; anything's possible.

Once upon a time, an actress named Jennifer Lopez was all the rage and starring in a string of diverse films, from the pseudo-Horror picture Anaconda to the nuptial Comedy The Wedding Planner, from the art house Chiller The Cell to the epically-decried Gigli. A sensation on both stage and screen and enjoying exceptional success across two entertainment mediums, the breakthrough star of the late 1990s is perhaps most widely known for the Romantic Comedy hit Maid in Manhattan, a charming little Cinderella Story fairy tale of a movie that's as simple as it is endearing, and while it's not the highlight of the genre, it's a better-than-serviceable outing that pairs Lopez against the more stalwart Ralph Fiennes (The Hurt Locker) as the leading couple in a predictable but heartfelt rags-to-riches romp through the world of politics, high society, and the crude underbelly of the service industry. Directed by Wayne Wang (Last Holiday) and based on a John Hughes (Ferris Bueller's Day Off) story, Maid in Manhattan offers nothing new to its genre and wields a tale seemingly as old as tales themselves, but this modern take on a classic yarn delivers the standby feel-good theme admirably, innocently, and engagingly enough.

A maid no more.

New York nobody Marisa Ventura (Lopez) is struggling to raise her politically-obsessed son Ty (Tyler Garcia Posey) while scrapping by on the lowly wages she earns as a maid at an upscale city hotel. Among the hotel's elite guests is Assemblyman Christopher Marshall (Fiennes), a candidate for a senate seat who is held onto tightly by his savvy political handler Jerry Siegel (Stanley Tucci, Julie & Julia). A chance encounter sees Christopher meet Marisa while she's trying on high-dollar clothing belonging to hotel guest Caroline Lane (Natasha Richardson). Christopher mistakes her for a socialite, finds himself instantly attracted to her, and clears his schedule to spend the afternoon with a women he believes to be someone that she isn't. An obsessed Christopher and a deliberately but innocently deceitful Marisa both feel an instant spark but the false pretenses of their meeting and impromptu date lead Marisa to do all she can to later avoid the political candidate, but his insistence on a second get-together threatens to reveal Marisa's true identity while also placing her bright future with the hotel in jeopardy. Can true love prevail, or will class and political ambition get in the way of fate?

They don't get much lighter and fluffier than Maid in Manhattan, the picture a generic but nevertheless heartwarming uptown spin on a classic down home tale. All that's missing is a glass slipper, but Maid in Manhattan substitutes the fantastical for the charming with just a hint of movie magic where the stars are aligned and fates are brought together by some force that's beyond sheer luck but not below the realm of believability. The film certainly hedges its bets on a suspension of disbelief but hopes the audience can go with the flow and accept the one-time-in-a-billion circumstance that sees true love find two willing souls that somehow, some way, are meant to be, even if the world around them wouldn't give the pairing a second thought. That's certainly the basis for many a Romantic Comedy, and while Maid in Manhattan never strays for even a millisecond away from formula, it works because the formula is just too irresistible in its own right. What's worked elsewhere works here, and what hasn't worked elsewhere has been neatly trimmed from the sides, the result a film that could serve as a standard-bearer of the genre, not its best example but certainly far from its worst, a picture that precisely follows instructions and yields a precisely-structured if not wholly transparent experience that's nothing new but is instead a fine example of a genre that's got its thing down pat.

Maid in Manhattan is helped along by several fine performances that, like the film, aren't exactly memorable but do service the movie and all that encompasses -- feel, tone, structure, and heart -- surprisingly well. Lopez and Fiennes share a wonderful chemistry, with the latter in particular turning in an altogether charming and completely believable effort as a politician that's not stuck within the carefully guarded and highly-structured bubble in which his handlers would prefer he exist. Fiennes' character isn't afraid of following his heart, the cameras and his public perception be damned. His is a wholly refreshing character; there's little conflict but plenty of heart and soul, a man in a position of power that uses everything but his stature to earn -- not simply get -- what he wants, a man that puts his and others' feelings first ahead of numbers, schedules, and what's politically expedient. His character is one of surprising depth in that he's so simple, making for one of the more memorable Romantic Comedy leading men in some time. Lopez, in turn, does all that's expected of the role, managing to look homely here and glamorous there depending on the scene in the film. She sells the part well enough, even if she's overshadowed by Fiennes in every on-screen coupling they share. Main in Manhattan also enjoys a solid supporting performance by the Oscar-nominated Stanley Tucci, but veteran Bob Hoskins (Doomsday) positively steals the show as the hotel's butler and, more importantly, as Marisa's supporter and confidant in her burgeoning love with Christopher and holder of her secret within the hotel's lavish walls.

Maid in Manhattan Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Maid in Manhattan serves up a clean and sharp 1080p, 2.40:1-framed transfer. Not the most pristine image available on Blu-ray though technically proficient in every area, Maid in Manhattan looks rather good throughout, particularly in the transfer's ability to deliver a healthy film-like image. Fine detail appears as above-average throughout the film, whether lines and textures in Marisa's brown and homely woven sweater; the nicely-appointed furnishings in the hotel proper; or the less glamorous, somewhat harsh and workmanlike underbelly that houses the maintenance department. The image boasts superb clarity and a good sense of depth; there are practically no unwanted artifacts to speak of, and while the picture's grain structure is minimalist in nature, it does aid in delivering a handsome film-like texture. Colors remain neutral yet nicely and naturally rendered throughout, blacks appear as rich and deep, and flesh tones retain a healthy appearance. Maid in Manhattan looks borderline exceptional all things considered; Sony has once again gone above and beyond the call of duty for a catalogue title that warrants, but doesn't seemingly demand, a well-above-average video transfer.

Maid in Manhattan Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Maid in Manhattan delivers a neat and tidy Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack. Much like the video presentation, this mix plays out as far better and richer than one might expect of it. Music enjoys strong clarity throughout the entire range and delivers a good sense of space; of note is a particularly punchy low end that accompanies one of the musical montages later in the film, the subwoofer chiming in frequently during the piece of music and churning out a healthy dosage of bass that's wonderfully tight and convincing. The track also does well to take full advantage of the various locales, delivering a good deal of lifelike ambience. Outdoor city shots are wonderfully realized, the track positively enveloping listeners in a cacophony of sound, whether howling sirens, squealing brakes, background pedestrian footsteps and chatter, or the maneuvering of automobiles down the street and, by extension, through the listening area with a smooth transition from one speaker to the next. Interiors fare equally well, particularly the busy and bustling maintenance area where the hotel's laundry facilities and the maid's locker rooms are housed. Strong dialogue reproduction rounds out a natural-sounding track that's certainly not of the explosive and adrenaline-charged kind, but for a Romantic Comedy, it's surprisingly rich and satisfying in its own unique way.

Maid in Manhattan Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This Blu-ray release of Maid in Manhattan contains only a blooper reel (480i, 7:18); BD-Live connectivity; and 1080p trailers for Made of Honor and This Christmas.

Maid in Manhattan Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Sufficiently funny, delightfully irresistible, surprisingly moving, and made for the hopeless romantic inside every viewer, Maid in Manhattan isn't a shining beacon of hope for the future of the Romantic Comedy, but it's a fine example of what the genre is all about, the picture innocent, easy, predictable, and mot importantly, fun. Competently made and nicely acted, there's nothing terribly wrong with the movie even if it is barely distinguishable from any number of other Cinderella stories and fairy tales with a modern setting and twist, but Jennifer Lopez and Ralph Fiennes inject a personality and vigor into the movie that only accentuates its generic but heartfelt theme of finding true love in the most inconsequential of places and between two compatible souls, even if they come from different social and economic classes. Sony's Blu-ray release of Maid in Manhattan boasts fine technical specifications, but the disc is unfortunately lacking in substantive bonus materials. Nevertheless, fans of the film will be pleased with the high definition presentation. Maid in Manhattan is another technically-sound catalogue offering from Sony, earning it a solid recommendation.