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Maid in Manhattan

Maid in Manhattan

Comedy · Drama · Romance · 2002

Marisa Ventura is a struggling single mom who works at a posh Manhattan hotel and dreams of a better life for her and her young son. One fateful day, hotel guest and senatorial candidate Christopher Marshall meets Marisa and mistakes her for a wealthy socialite. After an enchanting evening together, the two fall madly in love. But when Marisa's true identity is revealed, issues of class and social status threaten to separate them. Can two people from very different worlds overcome their differences and live happily ever after?

Movie details

Maid in Manhattan

“...love checks in.”

2002 Comedy · Drama · Romance 1h 45m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.1 / 10

Community rating

Marisa Ventura is a struggling single mom who works at a posh Manhattan hotel and dreams of a better life for her and her young son. One fateful day, hotel guest and senatorial candidate Christopher Marshall meets Marisa and mistakes her for a wealthy socialite. After an enchanting evening together, the two fall madly in love. But when Marisa's true identity is revealed, issues of class and social status threaten to separate them. Can two people from very different worlds overcome their differences and live happily ever after?

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Maid in Manhattan?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Where it lives

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Wayne Wang

Written by

Kevin Wade · John Hughes

Jennifer Lopez

Jennifer Lopez

Marisa Ventura

Ralph Fiennes

Ralph Fiennes

Christopher Marshall

Natasha Richardson

Natasha Richardson

Caroline Lane

Stanley Tucci

Stanley Tucci

Jerry Siegel

Tyler Posey

Tyler Posey

Ty Ventura

Marissa Matrone

Marissa Matrone

Stephanie Kehoe

Frances Conroy

Frances Conroy

Paula Burns

Court is in session

Put Maid in Manhattan on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Sentimental Softie

“Sincerity is not manipulation.”

The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.

The prosecution The Cool Ironist

“The strings are showing.”

Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.