SECOND ACT
US, 2018, 103 minutes, Colour.
Jennifer Lopez, Vanessa Hudgens, Leah Remini Treat Williams, Milo Ventimiglia, Freddie Stroma, Charylene Yi, Alan Aisberg, Dave Foley, Larry Miller, Annaleigh Ashford.
Directed by Peter Segal.
Second Act is the kind of light entertainment that used to be referred to as a women's picture And, it will have a particular appeal to a female audience, especially with the strong characters all being women, men somewhat in the background.
Is also star vehicle for Jennifer Lopez who had been around in films for over 20 years, her heyday in the late 1990s, early 2000s. Her fans will appreciate her in Second Act, a strong screen presence.
She plays Maria, a very practical woman who has worked in sales in a supermarket, expecting to be promoted but powers that be noting that she has no major education background or degrees. Fortunately, she has three friends who work in the store, always helpful, always with advice . Leah Remini standing out as Joan, the kind of wisecracking, common-sensed friend (played in the long ago past by Eve Arden, in the recent past by Joan Cusack). Maria is in a somewhat tentative relationship with Trey (Milo Ventimiglia), a baseball coach who has a desperate desire to have a family. Maria does not.
And, a second act? Maria makes a wish on her birthday and Joan's son, an ultra-computer whiz, decides to produce documents of top education qualifications, personal abilities (Peace Corps, climbing Kilimanjaro…!) As well as Facebook page. Maria gets an interview with a pleasant executive, Treat Williams, although she clashes with his daughter, Zoe, Vanessa Hudgens (10 years after her High School Musicals). Despite her apprehensions, Maria makes a good impression, gets a job – and, with her knowledge of and criticism about ineffective facial products, gets a commission to develop a better organic product while Zoe leads a team to modify the current project and make it more organic than it has been.
Then, suddenly, although we realise it as it is happening, this is not exactly the second act that the action so far has indicated. It is much more and audiences should have the opportunity to discover this for themselves without any advice or spoilers!
While Maria and Zoe are rivals, they also develop some bonds, especially in their dislike of the go-getting executive, Ron, the pushy scientist, Felix, who work with Zoe while Maria bonds with the very nervous assistant, Ariana, and the nerdy laboratory scientist, Chase. Not difficult to predict who wins but it is interesting to see how they win and what they have developed.
But, of course, there is the issue of the truth and when and how Maria will confess it. Fortunately, she has the continued support of the three friends as well as her ingenuity in creating business and online sales.
Hollywood is often referred to as a dream factory and, in many ways, Second Act is one of those manufactured dreams. Could it happen in reality? We would like to think so and it is enjoyable watching the roll-out of such a dream.
1. An entertaining film for a women's audience? Men's audience? Middle-aged? Younger?
2. The title, the chance for another opportunity for work and career, the chance for another opportunity for motherhood and nurturing?
3. The New York settings, homes, supermarkets, executive buildings and offices, research laboratories, restaurants, company auditorium? The musical score? Dance sequence?
4. Jennifer Lopez Has Maria, her screen presence, career? Her relationship with Trey? At home, his wanting a family, her not wanting children? The revelation of her reasons? Her going to work, her friends at work, her preparation and dress for the interview, the issue of degrees and study? The interview with the boss, the associate put in command, the reaction, her friends? Her birthday, the disappointment, the birthday cake and the wish? Dilly his expertise, computers, creating the documents, the website, the enormous claims?
5. Trey, baseball coaching, his disappointment, the break with Maria? Later going to see him? His response?
6. The offer of the job interview, the reception, the interview with Anderson, his genial response, Zoe and her hostility? The recall, her resigning at the supermarket, tripping over the wire? Going to the office, the welcome, Hildy as her associate in research, Ariana, her timidity, assistant? The office?
7. Maria and her straightforwardness, based on experience rather than studies, contradicting Zoe, the meeting, the plan for the new product, the two teams and the rivalry? Felix and his support for Zoe, Ron, Zoe's dislike of him, Hildy joining the team? The contrast with Maria, Ariana, Chase and his being exiled by Felix, his coming on board?
8. The research, the issues of organic products, modifying existing products, finding something new? The research on the streets, Hildy and Ariana and interrogations? Crisis? Maria and the idea about Hiroshima, the plant that survived, taking her Planned from the house, the experiments, all the leaves gone, final success? The plan for the product to do all kinds of work at once? Profit?
9. Zoe, her character, the revelation that she was adopted, her father giving her the information, the apartment, the photos, her memories of her mother? The revelation that Anderson had organised for Maria to come? Maria, her story about the adoption, pregnancy and birth? Advised not to follow up? Zoe and her successful life, with her parents? The bonding of the two women, Maria getting a second chance, Zoe getting a second chance for mother? Yet the continued rivalry?
10. Ron, obnoxious, making the phone calls, trying to find out about Maria? The final confirmation but his being thwarted by Maria telling the truth?
11. Anderson, his happy reception of the product, offering the partnership to Maria?
12. The background of Maria and her friends, the characters, Joan and her advice, their meeting Zoe and their performance? Maria returning to them, the support? Joan and her continued advice? Dilly and his ingenuity with Maria and her claims, Facebook? Her being able to cover, climbing Kilimanjaro, the earpiece device for the Chinese language and being successful?
13. The truth, the successful product, her walking off stage, her going back to her friends, Zoe's disappointment? The years passing, Zoe successful in England with her course? Returning? Maria and her friends, the online business? The partnership with the entrepreneur?
14. Maria running, Zoe joining her, reconciliation and all the hopes for a third act?
