Maid in Manhattan
I also am a fan of rags to riches stories, but this one was different. Marisa worked hard to become a manager at the hotel, but the "riches" that were emphasized was the wealth that Chris had. Once they were together she could really have it all, love and money. I thought this idea was problematic because her own personal success should have been more emphasized, rather than implying that this (white) man would be the one who could save her and make her happy. The idea that Marisa felt unworthy and that she only felt good enough when she was playing a role for Chris upset me but is pretty general in these types of movies. The fact that most of the maids were not white but most of the wealthy and successful women portrayed were white was frustrating. Would it be so hard to have a Latina play the role of a successful business woman and a white woman play a maid? I never thought of any of these issues the first time I watched this movie, but this class has opened by eyes to these portrayals of Latinas and of all women.