Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Mild
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- witty
- breezy
- hopeful
- lazy sunday
- feel good movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly agreed that Jennifer Lopez's charisma and star performance give the film energy, while its contrived and muddled story limits the appeal.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Maya is a big-box store worker who uses an invented life story and résumé to enter a Madison Avenue career environment.
Maya reinvents not only her career but also her life-story while seeking a professional breakthrough.
The central premise follows a forty-something assistant manager attempting a career resurrection in finance and advertising.
The film moves Maya into Madison Avenue spaces and was specifically praised for its costume design and Jennifer Lopez's polished screen presence.
Films like Second Act, and why
Working Girl
Shares a career reinvention premise, upbeat workplace comedy, and middle-aged protagonist pursuing a second chance.
The Intern
Combines romantic comedy, professional ambition, and a capable woman challenging assumptions about credentials and class.
Maid in Manhattan
Offers a glossy metropolitan career fantasy with deception, social mobility, and romantic-comedy conventions.
Last Holiday
Features a warm, familiar second-chance comedy centered on self-reinvention and personal fulfillment.
Movie Details
- Director
- Peter Segal
- Release Date
- 2018-11-22
- Runtime
- 103 min
- Rating
- 6.3 / 10 (1270)
Cast
- Jennifer Lopez
- Vanessa Hudgens
- Leah Remini
- Milo Ventimiglia
- Treat Williams
- Lo Mutuc
- Annaleigh Ashford
- Alan Aisenberg
- Freddie Stroma
- Dave Foley
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Hulu, fuboTV, YouTube TV, Freeform
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Second Act about?
- A sharp big-box store worker fabricates a more glamorous identity to break into Madison Avenue, discovering that experience and authenticity may matter more than credentials.
- What is Second Act like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Second Act as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Second Act violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Second Act.
- What did critics think of Second Act?
- Critics broadly agreed that Jennifer Lopez's charisma and star performance give the film energy, while its contrived and muddled story limits the appeal.
- Which films are like Second Act?
- Films with a similar feel include Working Girl, The Intern, Maid in Manhattan, and Last Holiday.
- How long is Second Act?
- Second Act runs 103 minutes.
- Where can I watch Second Act?
- In United States, Second Act streams on Hulu, fuboTV, YouTube TV, Freeform.
