SoftInloveRox
Horrible, fascist and poorly acted
BroadcastChic
Excellent, a Must See
Ava-Grace Willis
Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.
Cameron Scholtz
Really wanted to love this movie. The era is one of my favorites, as are many of the actors. Just couldn't get into this one. In my opinion, Ally Sheedy's performance was weak; not believable. And what was up with her hair?! A rich girl with a short mullet? I don't think so. She looked like a homely boy in this film. The other young maid, "Maria", was very beautiful -- and had good character, good work ethic. I found it difficult to believe the young chauffeur, "Nick", would not be more attracted to the more beautiful and stronger woman, Maria. Anyway, this movie is still an OK way to kill a couple hours, but it's not up to par with other 80's greats. Thanks
matt_tawesson-1
Ally Sheedy stars as Jessie Montgomery, a spoiled girl who lives in a fancy mansion with her very wealthy father (played by Tom Skeritt). After taking a group of people dancing late one night, she is lectured by her father the next morning for charging over $900 on his credit card. Then, that night, she is pulled over for speeding and spends the night in jail for drug possession. While she sits in jail, her father wishes that he never had a daughter. Meanwhile, Stella (the fairy godmother, played by Beverly DeAngelo) appears in the jail and bails Jessie out. Stella explains that the charges were dropped, and that no criminal record exists for Jessie. But there's a shocking surprise for Jessie. Stella had cast a spell that caused Jessie to be broke, and with no family or friends. She doesn't believe it, and tries to go back to what was her home, but her father, chauffeur and maids act as though they never knew her. She meets with Stella again in the park, and is advised to get a job. Jessie ends up finding beat up high heeled shoes from a dumpster, and gets a job working as a maid for a snobby rich couple in a similar mansion. The couple have a very disgusting taste for clothes and not a lot of respect for Jessie. She meets a cook (played by Merry Clayton) and a Spanish speaking maid, and works with them (she also ends up meeting Nick, the mechanic, who also lives at the house). After a while, there's a party at the house, where Jessie's father and Stella are among the many guests. The people are asked what their wishes are, and Jessie wishes that their wishes come true. At the end of the movie, the spell is removed, and Jessie's father "knows" her again, as does the chauffeur. She also gets her original high heeled shoes back from the beginning of the movie and no longer has the ugly ones from the dumpster. Jessie and Stella say goodbye, with Stella driving away in a bubble toward the starry sky. Great movie, and I read that it is somewhat of a "Cinderella-in-reverse" story, that I agree with. This is also very 80s, because of the clothing, and the pastel colored blinds (gross!!), but I feel it has held up well over time.
vchimpanzee
Jessie is a spoiled rich kid who finally pushes her widowed father Charles too far. After her father wishes he never had a daughter, one day Jessie wakes up with nothing and is told by "fairy godmother" Stella she will have to make it on her own. The poor girl has no idea how to do that, and the results are predictable but hilarious. The only reason she can get a job: the eccentric but loaded Starkeys want a white maid for a change, and they are amazingly patient. Stan is an agent who represents entertainers but has hit a slump; Georgette changes her hair style (and hair color) numerous times and finally gets it right. Their other servants are Audrey, a formerly popular black singer who had a drinking problem but had children to raise (she doesn't seem to be married), Maria from El Salvador, and klutzy chauffeur Nick. Eventually, Jessie learns her lesson, and the ending is formulaic but enjoyable. This is a movie that reminds all of us we should be nice to everyone, even the servants, and not be too proud to do the dirty jobs in life.Ally Sheedy was good most of the time. She started out spoiled but still easy to like, and ended up sweet. The one problem I had with her performance was when she begged for her old life back. Somehow that just didn't seem right. Even though her character was supposed to be a whiner, she just seemed too whiny. Overall, the good outweighed the bad by a large margin. Most of the other acting performances were really good. I especially liked Theodore Wilson as Charles' servant, maybe because I've seen him in so many roles going back to his days as the mailman on "That's My Mama". And Tom Skerritt is always good. This was a pleasant movie with lessons to teach us, even though the theme has been repeated many times.
cwhetwhisper
Spoiler, spoiler!...but if you've only seen it once, read this and watch it again, keeping this in mind:I love this movie! I like how this spoiled brat gets what she deserves, gets a taste of being treated like a nobody, and finally learns that life is about true friendship, family, and giving to others--not about being rich and "buying" friends. When I first watched it, I loved the comedy and the fun. Then, upon watching it again, it made me a better person. How? I was often jealous of rich and never-have-to-lift-a-finger people (like a doctor's daughter I know). After seeing this movie (and going beyond the "I wish that would happen to so-and-so" feelings), I finally realized how sad and lonely it would be for someone like that to have money (do they like me or my money) and to lose it (or constantly worry about losing it). Without the money, a person has to rely on social skills and everyday talents--things the main character (and some people we know) don't have. But finally realizing she has to do something to survive (and do it herself), this "Maid to Order" discovers the true riches of real friendship. We find a caring, generous person deep inside her ("I wish all your wishes come true"). Now that is what I call wealth. I'm trying hard to see that good person deep inside those who have no social skills. With all the money they have, they are still poor. Hopefully, they will learn their lessons before it is too late for them.
