(rated PG-13, 108 mins.)
Marisa Ventura (Jennifer Lopez) is a single working mother of a first-class hotel in Manhattan where she “strives to be invisible”. By a twist of fate, and mistaken identity, Senate hopeful Christopher Marshall (Ralph Fiennes), runs into her thanks to the help of her mischievous son Ty (Tyler Garcia Posey). While the heir of a political dynasty and a maid from the Bronx may seem like worlds apart, they are really just a subway ride away, because what defines who we are is not what we do for a living. It’s been a long enough time since America’s favorite romantic comedy “Pretty Woman” and this one seems to pull out all the sappy punches. Stanley Tucci is adorable as the bumbling assistant to the Senator with Nathasha Richardson is well-cast as the blue blood teeth-gritting princess in the Grand Suite. Lopez gets to play (appropriately) a New Jersey type girl who lacks the sophistication or luster of a Julia Roberts, but is still charming to watch in this predictable fairy tale. But, it’s Fiennes who steals the Richard Gere role as charming, lighthearted, understated and almost Gary Cooper-ish style. And we thought Fiennes couldn’t step out of his Merchant and Ivory type roles.
