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MORE
THAN CINDERELLA
Here is film that pulls on Cinderella
for structure, The Prince and the Pauper
for message, and the society movies of thirties
for comedy. But, it is also different in some other ways -and those
differences are the subject of this review.
 IT
IS ABOUT THE INVISIBLE PEOPLE
As much as we want to deny it, our focus is on the rich and famous,
and not on the butlers, maids and custodians. This film makes a
strong statement about how we tend to overlook certain groups of
people, especially those in the service class. In a celebrity crazed
society we tend to focus on Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck and not
on the ordinary everyday people such as Marisa Ventura, as played
by Jennifer Lopez. Interesting, isn't it. Is Latina-Jennifer-Lopez
making an anti Celebrity-Jennifer-Lopez statement? I think
she is. And good for her.
IT
IS ABOUT BREAKING CHAINS
 Marisa
Ventura is an interesting name,
and one that I wonder about. Here's why. Producer Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas
stated, "Being from the San Fernando Valley, my aspirations
were limited to living closer to Ventura
Blvd. My vision, I'm afraid, wasn't quite so broad." So,
is the name Marisa Ventura a
reflection of self imposed limitations that we all place on ourselves?
I think so.
The
film explores not so much the limitations imposed on us by others,
but rather by ourselves. The film is about breaking those chains
that bind us. The film is about getting to the other side of Ventura
Blvd.
IT
IS ABOUT THE AN EXPANDING CONCEPT OF BEAUTY
 Jennifer
Lopez portrays a very beautiful Latina
in this film. She does not in anyway attempt to look like an Anglo.
Her skin is brown - and not
Michael Jackson white. Her hair
is Latina black - and not Swedish
blonde.
Personal
note: I was watching Spanish language television the other day and
I saw a lot of Latinas who were
looking like blonde Anglinas
-very discouraging to me -especially when the studio audience was
very Latino with no blonde
Anglo types any where in view.
So, I appreciate J Lo giving a expanded more inclusive view of glamour.
I really
appreciated the strong statement the film made about being true
to one's self. Be yourself, it was saying, and not someone else.
IT
IS ABOUT THE INTEGRATION OF THE WORLD
 In
the film a White politician
falls in love with a Latina.
There is new political and religious reality reflected here.
In
case you have not noticed, there have been some very dramatic demographic
changes taking place. And, this movie will underscores them. The
Latin community is growing, while the European and American White
community is in decline. Consider this: the Latino
community is now 25% of the Los Angeles population -and growing.The
growing influence of the southern hemisphere into the north simply
can not be ignored. There is a new gobal reality.
Similarly,
in the area of religion, the White boomer
churches are in decline, and Latino
Pentecostal churches are growing faster than the birth rate. While
Anglo churches tend to be carbon copies of each other,
laid back and often boring, Latino
churches are different --enthusiastic, committed and exciting. The
Anglo Church Of England is experiencing
decline, but is fast growing in the African
community. The only real growth in the declining Episcopal denomination
is in the southern hemisphere.
 I
must say however, that the future is not in the hands of the southern
hemisphere of the globe, nor is it in the hands of the northern
half of the world. Rather, the future is in the coming together
of the south with the north. There is a great mixing of traditions
and cultures at work in the world. Multicultural mix is the future.
This
film reflects and underscores these wonderful and refreshing realities.
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MAID
IN MANHATTAN
