It’s never too late for a ‘Second Act’

As Maya Vargas (Jennifer Lopez) celebrates her 43rd birthday, she has one wish – a job promotion.

After 15 years at Value Shop, the past six as assistant manager, she’s ready to run the big box store in Queens. Her resumé doesn’t scream upper management, but her track record does.

She’s an innovator who listens to customers, knows what they need and finds a way to deliver. But Value Shop hires “the right man for the job” – a man with an MBA – not high school-certified Maya.

Maya’s boyfriend, Trey, (Milo Ventimiglia) and best friend, Joan, (Leah Remini) try to boost her spirits, but Maya is frustrated as once again street smarts doesn’t equal book smarts.

Was her entire future determined when she was 16, or can she reinvent herself in her 40s? That’s the question at the heart of Second Act.

Second Act. Picture Barry Wetcher

Maya’s prospects brighten when, out of the blue, she lands an interview at the elite Manhattan consumer products firm, Franklin & Clarke. CEO Anderson Clark himself (Treat Williams) wants to meet her and invites his daughter, Zoe (Vanessa Hudgens), a rising star at the company, to check out Maya too.

While Zoe is sceptical, Anderson is dazzled by Maya’s ability to think on her feet – not to mention her Wharton degree, Peace Corps service, mastery of Mandarin and overall power player vibe.

But unknown to Zoe, her father, and initially even Maya herself, those credentials were invented by Maya’s godson, who surprised her with a new online identity for her birthday. Maya lands the job. She’s uneasy about the deception and unsettled about her other secrets, but confident she can do the job.

Her first day at Franklin & Clarke pits Maya against Zoe in a product development competition. What plays out is an uplifting story about success and our definition of it.

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