First, let me start by stating I can't stand Jennifer Lopez. I believe her acting ability to be severely limited and honestly, other than her appearance in "U-Turn," not that attractive.  With that said, I actually enjoyed "MAID IN MANHATTAN."  I'm sure no small part of this had to do to me having such low expectations going into it, based upon the ridiculous trailer. 

Lopez stars as a "maid" named Marisa, working in a posh hotel in "Manhattan." She's a single, divorced mom, trying hard to raise her bright young son, and while she has dreams, they're not overtly about finding Prince Charming, but rather, making it into management.   

While the script is predictable in many ways, the entire cast is impressive, and even Lopez is decent for a change. Director Wayne Wang has always been able to bring dramatic depth and warmth to his films, and such is the case here. Ralph Fiennes stars as Christopher Marshall, a political candidate whom falls for Marisa, after stumbles upon her trying on a hotel guest's elaborate clothing.  While this setup and where it's about to lead is also telegraphed far ahead, Wang manages to make us actually care about these individuals, forgetting the cliche's at hand. 

Christopher is immediately smitten with Marisa, but she doubts he'd care for her if he knew her real job was that of a maid, and she'd deceived him into thinking she was of a wealthy stature.  Worse, she knows she'd be fired if the hotel management found out what she'd done.  Enter Bob Hoskins as the hotel butler, borrowing an obvious page from Hector Elizondo's role in "PRETTY WOMAN."  With his assistance as well as others, the "impossible" becomes possible, and love will inevitably conquer all. 

Yes, it's all highly predictable, and this also means it's not at all original. However, Wayne Wang is great, and he makes the overall entertainment level of the film rise far above the material. 

COLUMBIA TRISTAR has preserved the film's 2.35:1 aspect ratio, with 16:9 enhancement.  The image is great.  Colors are solid, often offering rich, vibrant scenes.  It's a beautiful image throughout. Contrast is also excellent, with deep blacks and grays, allowing for perfect clarity in darker sequences. 

An option for pan&scan is also offered, but this severely diminishes Wang's wonderful compositions, many of which capture the beauty of the Manhattan skyline. This image also veers towards "grainy" in many spots.

COLUMBIA TRISTAR has provided a Dolby Digital 5.1 mix. This isn't an aggressive mix, and surround moments are limited. However, there are ambient effects, and the film's light but enchanting score permeates through all speakers.  Dialogue is always intelligible and free from distortion.

COLUMBIA TRISTAR has included several trailers, including several for upcoming theatrical releases.  All of them are enhanced for 16:9 television!