History Film / MaidInManhattan

The film is likely best known for outperforming ''Film/StarTrekNemesis'' in their shared opening week, which was such an embarrassment to the ''Trek'' franchise that it killed the chances for any more films until Creator/JJAbrams' [[Film/StarTrek2009 reboot series]].

''Maid in Manhattan'' is a 2002 RomanticComedy directed by Wayne Wang, and starring Creator/JenniferLopez and Creator/RalphFiennes. The story was written by Creator/JohnHughes, using the pseudonym Edmond Dantes.

''Maid in Manhattan'' is a 2002 RomanticComedy directed by Wayne Wang, and starring Music/JenniferLopez and Creator/RalphFiennes. The story was written by Creator/JohnHughes, using the pseudonym Edmond Dantes.

* BeautyInversion: Attempted, by putting Music/JenniferLopez in a maid's uniform and pulling her hair back into a ponytail or bun. Although she's still gorgeous, the improvement when she puts on a ball gown [[HeadTurningBeauty is noticeable]].

* UptownGirl: Wealthy, Kennedy-{{Expy}} Christopher is a gender-inversion to Bronx native hotel maid Marisa.

* OneHourWorkWeek: The movie tries to avert this. Marisa and the other maids are frequently seen at work, and when she leaves for her trip to the Met, she has Lionel make sure her shift is covered. Her disappearing to take a walk with Chris is still unaccounted, but it's assumed Marisa used up her presumed one-hour work break.

%%* RapunzelHair: Marissa and Caroline.

* OneHourWorkWeek: Subverted. While Marissa and the other maids are frequently seen at work, she is able to disappear in the middle of the day to go for a walk with Chris and disappear again on another day to prepare for the ball. Highly unlikely, especially since there's no mention of anyone covering for her.
** Marisa likely used up her presumed one-hour work break for her outing with Chris. Though considering it looked like it took longer than that, it's also likely that Steph (who became an instant ShipperOnDeck) covered for her. And as for Marisa's trip to the Met, Lionel clearly states that he was going to make sure her shift was covered.

* RaisedCatholic: Marisa crosses herself at one point.

** Rachel Hoffberg, Caroline's BFF, who makes a number of borderline racist comments at Marissa.
** Marissa's mother. She means well, but she's a bit too judgemental.

** Rachel Hoffberg, Caroline's BFF.

* ChekhovsGun: The beautiful Harry Winston wreath Marisa wears at the ball is what gets her caught. Caroline admires it on the ballgown wearing socialite that she meets at the ball--and recognizes it on the sweatshirt-wearing woman she sees sneaking out of Chris's room the next morning.

* PrincessForADay: Marisa is a retelling of ''Literature/{{Cinderella}}'', so she gets her fancy ball with a handsome prince - [[Recycled In space an hunky politician, in the US]].

Marisa Ventura (Lopez) is a single mother raising her son Ty (Creator/TylerPosey) and working as a maid at the upscale Beresford Hotel in New York City. While Marisa and fellow maid Stephanie are cleaning the room of wealthy socialite Caroline Lane (Creator/NatashaRichardson), Stephanie convinces Marisa to try on an expensive outfit. Meanwhile, handsome, up-and-coming senatorial candidate Christopher Marshall (Fiennes) meets and befriends Ty, and they go to ask Marisa if Ty can go walking Marshall's dog in the park. Seeing Marisa in the expensive outfit, Marshall assumes that she is Caroline, and becomes attracted to her. She, likewise, becomes attracted to him. The two become entangled, but inevitably, sooner or later the real Caroline and the hotel management will find out what's going on...

The film is likely best known for outperforming ''Film/StarTrekNemesis'' in their shared opening week, which was such an embarrassment to the ''Trek'' franchise that it killed the chances for any more films until JJ Abrams' reboot series.

* BeautyInversion: Attempted, by putting Music/JenniferLopez in a maid's uniform and pulling her hair back into a ponytail or bun. Although she's still gorgeous, the improvement when she puts on a ball gown is noticeable.

* BilingualBackfire: Christopher pulls this on the two elderly French women who are gossiping about him and Marisa. They call him a "pig", even though he has ''politely'' invited them to join them for a walk.

** Marissa's mother. She means we'll, but she's a bit too judgemental.
%%* BrainlessBeauty: Caroline.

* ChekhovsGun: The beautiful Harry Winston wreath Marisa wears at the ball is what gets her caught. Caroline admires it on the ballgown wearing socialite that she meets at the ball--and recognizes it on the sweatshirt wearing woman she sees sneaking out of Chris's room the next morning.
* ChickFlick
* ClarkKenting[=/=]PaperThinDisguise: No one who knows Marisa under one identity recognizes her in the other even though all that changes are her clothes--Chris doesn't recognize the Dolce & Gabbana-clad socialite as the woman who was cleaning his bathroom the day before (granted, he only saw her briefly), her own boss doesn't recognize her (again, granted, she's wearing sunglasses and keeps her face turned away so as to avoid this) and neither does anyone else, despite her picture being on the front page of the newspaper by the next day--her BFF Stephanie needs to be told by Marissa herself that it's her. Caroline's the only one who comes even remotely close, and even she can't figure it out, despite having met Marissa several times before their encounter at the ball.

--> '''Chris''': Caroline, the first lunch was a mistake. A second would be complete torture.
--> '''Caroline''': Drinks, then?

* CostumeTestMontage[=/=]MakeoverMontage: Marisa's preparation for the ball.
* DeadpanSnarker: Jerry.

** Caroline is clearly worried that she's approaching this point.
** Stephanie seems to fear this too.

** Marisa likely used up her presumed one-hour work break for her outing with Chris. Though considering it looked like it took longer than that, it's also likely that Steph (who became an instant ShipperOnDeck) covered for her. And as for Marisa's trip to the Met, Lionel clearly states that he waa going to make sure her shift was covered.

* PrincessForADay: Marisa is a retelling of ''Literature/{{Cinderella}}'', so she gets her fancy ball with an handsome prince - [[Recycled In space an hunky politician, in the US]].

* RapunzelHair: Marissa and Caroline.

* SheCleansUpNicely: It's Jennifer Lopez so she's already stunning but still...
* SpannerInTheWorks: Caroline and Rachel.

* TruthInTelevision: Wearing a guest's clothes ''is'' a legitimate sackable offense, with no warning; it doesn't matter if the clothes were about to be returned to the store or not. It's highly unlikely Marissa would have been able to find another housekeeping job, and as quickly as she did, given both her actions and the ensuing public scandal.