Maid to Order

Jessie Montgomery (Ally Sheedy) is the spoiled only child of Charles Montgomery (Tom Skerrit), the chairman of Starlight Foundation. Jessie loves partying all night. She does nothing but seeking pleasure. One night she is busted by a cop for speed-driving and using drugs. When Mr. Montgomery is notified regarding this incident, he can't help feeling so disappointed and frustrated, and he says he wishes he never had this daughter.

Jessie's fairy godmother (Beverly D'Angelo) appears, erases Jessie's criminal record, taking her out of the police station and tells Jessie that her past has also been erased. Now she's on her own. Her friends don't know her any more. Her father doesn't know her any more. After wandering on streets for days, she has to get a job. One thing she would have never done in the past.

Working as a maid at a trendy house in Beverly Hills, Jessie learns how to do housework and how to treat people in a better way. Finally, she becomes unselfish and compassionate.

Overall, it's pleasant to watch this movie.

Jessie Montgomery (Ally Sheedy) is a spoiled troublesome bored rich L.A. kid. After a drug arrest, her exasperated widow father Charles (Tom Skerritt) makes a wish that he never had a daughter. Her fairy godmother Stella (Beverly D'Angelo) comes to take Jessie out of jail but tells her that she is no longer Charles' daughter. She is penniless and without any connections. Stella tells her to straighten up and get a job. She stumbles into an employment agency which just happens to be looking for a white maid. She's working for the crass Starkeys (Valerie Perrine, Dick Shawn). Nick McGuire (Michael Ontkean) is the chauffeur pretending to be a mechanic who's trying to get talent agent Starkey to listen to his tape.

It's an interesting switch on the Cinderella story. I was in love with Ally Sheedy from 'The Breakfast Club' back in the day. This is one of the last starring roles before her stardom faded. She never really found her sweet spot but she continued to work. There are no big laughs in this movie but it is kind of cute. Sheedy is perfect for this role. She still has rooting interest despite being a complete brat.

I think this film may have been given too little credit. Although not an Oscar winner by far, it did lead me out of reality for a while and put a smile on my face. It is always nice when a film can do that. The music, by famous film composer Georges Delerue (Steel magnolias) helps cast the spell. Beverly D'angelo is well cast and Ally Sheedy is...well...Ally Sheedy

Ally Sheedy works very hard to convince us she's a spoiled rich girl who takes everyone for granted. I felt it was all a con, and therefore couldn't wait for her character to make that transformation into a Better Person. Sheedy wasn't necessarily miscast as she was misdirected; she naturally projects a very savvy, efficient persona, and acting childish is beneath her. The second part of the film, with Sheedy working as a maid to wealthy neurotics Dick Shawn and Valerie Perrine (both terrific), is more successful, and the fantasy elements of the plot have had time to grow on us and are more acceptable. There are still some clumsy or awkward moments here, however for the first time Michael Ontkean is a CHARMING Prince Charming (not just a substitute for one) and the supporting cast is made up of wily and likable characters. "Maid to Order" leaves you smiling and that means it has done a good job, though it takes at least thirty minutes to kick into gear. *** from ****

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.