Review of Second Act (2018) by Rp H — 11 Jan 2019

I didn't have high hopes going into this movie, but I didn't realize it would be so disjointed. I have not seen an array of JLo's previous movies, including "Maid in Manhattan", the movie which this is frequently compared to. However, the theme of fibbing to get a high-profile job at an older age did scream "Younger" to me, the popular Darren Starr T.V. series, which I do enjoy. I honestly expected this to be a movie version of the show.

However, it was not. The fact that I am a "This is Us" fan, I can only really see Milo Ventimiglia as "Jack Pearson", so pairing him with JLo didn't seem right. His role was minor, and the script had Jennifer Lopez mention how nice *his* rear-end was at least three times. I don't think they had much chemistry on screen, so it was hard to believe their relationship.

The script is very "in your face" about "how things should be", "feminism", and "sticking it to the man". It plays to an audience that, like the protagonist, lets things happen to them.

The movie tries, but fails miserably to be deeply layered and lighthearted at the same time. What really bothered me about the movie was the the lack of natural reaction one would have when realizing a big secret - the "plot" twist to the movie. Jennifer Lopez's character, Maya, internalizes and reacts to the news the way the audience does - that she saw it coming. The movie from this point on, is a terrible mess.

With Jennifer Lopez as one of the producers, this movie is definitely one for her fans. It portrays her in the best light (and lighting) possible, looking glam even when she's supposedly not (like running in sweats). I think she would make a fantastic villain and would love to see her in that role in the future.