Second Act Parent Guide

If you’ve seen Disney’s Aladdin you already know the plot of Second Act. The main character creates a false identity to get something he wants. The character achieves his goal only to become aware of the consequences of living a lie. The character is too scared of losing the benefits of the lie to tell the truth. An evil villain gains control of a genie with cosmic powers and wreaks destruction. Well, ditch the evil villain and the genie and you have the basic plot outline of Second Act.

The movie begins with Jennifer Lopez as Maya Vargas, assistant manager of a big box store. Maya is a retail genius who has doubled her store’s revenues relative to other outlets. Despite her undoubted ability, Maya is passed over for promotion in favor of a male candidate (Dan Bucatinsky) whose university degree and “team building skills” trump Maya’s impressive experience. Frustrated and angry, Maya vents that “I just wish we lived in a world where street smarts equaled book smarts.”

Shortly after a birthday wish for better opportunities, Maya receives an invitation from the prestigious firm of Franklin and Clarke to come in for an interview. Having not applied for a position, Maya is astonished until she learns that her best friend’s computer savvy son created an entirely fake resume and social media persona for Maya and applied for jobs on her behalf. Summoning her courage, Maya goes to the interview, gets hired, and begins a dream-come-true career and rewarding relationships.

Despite the rosy outlook, not all is well with Maya. Panic strikes when she is expected to demonstrate the skills on her resume but luck, moxie, and the help of friends allow her to “fake it until she makes it”. More importantly, Maya’s conscience is starting to eat away at her as she realizes the truth of her ex-boyfriend’s words: “No relationship built on a lie is going to survive.” But if she tells the truth, she could lose everything…

Obviously, parents will be concerned that Second Act glamorizes dishonest behavior. While it is true that Maya initially benefits from her false credentials, the story doesn’t shy away from the consequences of her deceit. And it doesn’t provide a quick and easy rebound for Maya either. The bigger concern in this movie is its almost constant use of profanity with over four dozen swear words. Other content issues are minor and will be over the heads of younger viewers, although, to be honest, this movie will not interest kids. It will likely only appeal to teens and adults with a penchant for romantic comedies.

Fortunately, Second Act has some real pluses to balance out the negative content. It provides vivid depictions of the consequences of dishonesty. And it delivers consistent girl power messages about confidence and self-esteem. The icing on the cake for the audience at the screening I attended seemed to be the heart-tugging themes about the importance of family and relationships. There were certainly many happy tears as the lights went up in the theater. Viewers prepared to give a second chance to a movie with a predictable plot and too much profanity may well enjoy this happily ever after story.