SECOND ACT

Second Act is a funny, enjoyable comedy with enough heart to move you from laughter to tears. Jennifer Lopez creates an appealing, believable character in Maya, a talented woman trying to prove that street smarts can matter as much as formal education.

The movie also offers positive elements, including family, adoption, adoptive parents, capitalism, prayer, and some Christian references. But the film’s central lie is never given the full moral weight it deserves, and its ending says that people create their own destiny without supernatural guidance. Copious foul language and light references to premarital sex add to the concerns.

The practical answer: adults who can handle those concerns may find the film worth watching, but it is not appropriate for children or young teens.

Maya has strong marketing instincts but no college degree, and her ideas at Value Shop are not taken seriously. After she is denied a promotion, a false online résumé opens the door to a job at a prestigious consumer-products firm.

Hired because of the experience and education the company believes she has, Maya is challenged to create an all-natural skin-care product. She must compete against Zoe, the company’s vice president, while trying to keep the truth about her résumé hidden.

Three stars means Second Act is a solid, enjoyable comedy that falls short of greatness. The acting and plot are good enough to support what is clearly a lower-budget production, and Jennifer Lopez makes Maya believable and appealing.

The film also delivers a broad emotional range, moving from laughs to tears. Vanessa Hudgens brings her familiar twinkle and dimple to her role. Overall, the movie works because its performances and emotional turns carry it through its limitations.

Second Act includes some positive moral and Christian elements. It portrays family and adoption positively, presents adoptive parents favorably, includes mentions of prayer, and contains positive comments about Jesus. It also shows some appreciation for capitalism.

The film’s main moral problem is that lying is built into Maya’s path to opportunity. She feels guilt about the lie, but the story does not fully show its ramifications. More significantly, the ending embraces a strong humanist worldview, declaring that people create their own destiny without any supernatural force guiding them. That idea conflicts with biblical teaching about human dependence on God.

The film’s positive family and adoption elements may encourage discussion, but its final view of destiny removes God from the picture. Scripture instead says, “The integrity of the upright guides them” (Proverbs 11:3).

Second Act is a likable, emotionally engaging comedy with positive family and adoption elements. Its foul language, central deception, and humanist ending make it unsuitable for children and young teens. For discerning adults, it is WORTH THE TRIP — ADULTS ONLY. For a family movie night, see.