Second Act stars Jennifer Lopez as Maya, a twelve year employee of a big box store in New York. Her innovative ideas have brought profits unmatched by other nearby stores. Unfortunately, Maya is passed over for a store manager position due to her lack of a college degree. Her godson (on his way to Stanford via a Google scholarship) decides to gift Maya with a new embellished resume to help her find a new job that would appreciate her life/work experience. She is now friendly with the Obama’s, speaks Mandarin, scales Mt Kilimanjaro and has of course, graduated with honors from Harvard. This is where the comparisons of 1988’s Working Girl with Melanie Griffith and Jennifer’s own 2004 Maid in Manhattan come into play.
Reinvent yourself, polish up the exterior and you will fool them all with your street smarts. We all know the conniving wannabe (there is always a wannabe) will figure out you’re lying and expose you in a humiliating over the top scene. The only original part here,(and I’m stretching using the word original) is Maya outs herself, taking that pleasure away from The Wannabe.Of course as Maya embraces her corporate self, she puts her old working class friends on the back burner. Typical, as Amy Schumer did the same in “I Feel Pretty” earlier this year. Great casting of Leah Remini, as Joan, Maya’s best friend. Her scenes with Maya are some of the best in the movie .
Jennifer does a decent job, but this is a safe rehashed movie. In the beginning of the movie there is mention of a daughter given up for adoption. With the predictability of this movie you know it’s just a matter of time before she is seemingly out of right field reunited with the daughter
Jennifer did “Maid in Manhattan" a maid masquerading as a socialite. Now this, Jennifer masquerading as a Harvard educated corporate consultant.
Please move on Jennifer. I get it, you like the rom-com’s but stop with masquerading as someone else ploy. Second Act is rate C. An average movie I would not pay a premium ticket price for. Definitely matinee pricing is called for. Better yet, my advice is wait for RedBox and use a coupon code.
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