It’s opening night of the big Christmas movies and this is what I choose to see? Well, I was hoping to save the good ones to see with family. Take the little cousins to Aquaman and Bumblebee and leave a couple Christmas options for mom. Turns out, I shoulda saved this one for mom.
Jennifer Lopez has spent 15 years working her way up at a local grocery store. The problem is, without a college degree, there’s only so far up she can work ,and she sees a promotion he was eyeing given away to someone who has had more opportunities than she has. A friend (Leah Remini)’s son creates a fake resume and online persona for her and submits a job application at a big name cosmetics firm. JLo is offered a big shot job that she may not actually be qualified for on paper, but she thinks she has the street smarts to pull it off. So she’s gonna try and hope it doesn’t all blow up in her face.
I read something criticizing this movie for trying to be three films in one. It’s not untrue, there are several major storylines. But you know what I say to that criticism? Women are complicated. And we should be presented in films that are more complex than simple rom coms. Yes, one of the subplots was a romantic one, but that was not the primary story. And even then, it was more about her learning to accept herself so that she could let someone else in than trying to define herself by him.
Speaking of that romantic storyline, her love interest was played by Milo Ventimiglia, who JLo personally requested after he stole her heart (as he did everyone else’s) on This Is Us.
I very much enjoyed this one. Yes, it was super implausible and cheesy, but it was uplifting and funny. I’m ashamed to say that I’d forgotten how great JLo is (besides Selena, I’d never forget that), but she reminded me that she is one of the best. And she had some great women surrounding her. We already mentioned Leah Remini, but I was surprised to also see Annaleigh Ashford and Charlene Yi. This is the girl power movie that I’ve been living for lately. I think Mom woulda liked it too
Second Act – \m/ \m/ \m/