There is something to say for street smarts.

I’ve always thought my street smarts complemented my book smarts: Having it all on paper without being able to back it up isn’t much of a life plan.

But I get the frustration of street smarts.

Not everyone has the opportunity to study, not everyone can. Of course, it runs much deeper than that. Numerous studies have shown managers tend to hire people they most identify with.

That means diversity in the workplace - be it cultural, lived experience or gender - can, and does, remain stagnated.

It’s true that you don’t necessarily need book smarts to get ahead in life, and there are many ways to live a successful and fulfilling life.

However, in my experience as a woman with an undergraduate and post-grad degree, my book smarts have opened doors for me that otherwise may have remained closed.

New life is breathed into the old ground of street smarts versus book smarts in Jennifer Lopez’s (J. Lo for those who aren’t in the know) latest flick, Second Act.

J.Lo’s feisty Brooklyn character, Maya, is painfully overlooked for a big promotion at the grocery store where she is assistant manager, despite breaking new store sales records and fostering major community support for her initiatives.

Instead, her out-of-touch (and middle-aged white man manager) hires a dweeby and disconnected man with a Masters (in being a dick) who specialises in cringe-worthy team building activities.

And it’s a true commentary on our society’s obsession with that little piece of paper that means you’ve done a degree.

Maya is rightly hurt and frustrated.

As her birthday comes to an end that night, she carelessly wishes that street smarts were as valued as book smarts.

Her best friend’s son - a prodigy in all things web and digital with a scholarship to Stanford up his sleeve - takes matters into his own hands.

He builds Maya a webpage outlining her (fake) qualifications and experience, including a Facebook page where she is schmoozing with the Obamas and summiting impressive mountains.

Her fake online persona is enough to get her an interview with a high-end pharmaceutical company and she lands a consultancy gig with her honest and candid assessment of the company’s green beauty product line.

Throughout, Maya is egged on by an enthusiastic supporting cast of women, including the very funny best friend Joan (Leah Remini); Ant (Deirdre Friel) and Suzi Teplitski (Lacretta).

She also attracts a quirky troupe of employees at her new workplace, including oddballs Ariana (Charlyne Yi) and ostracised chemist Chase (Alan Aisenberg).

Hilarity ensues when Maya’s qualifications overstate her abilities in speaking Mandarin and being a coxswain.

I genuinely laughed here and amazingly, she muddles her way through with some semblance of credibility.

But as things go well for Maya at work, her home life takes a nosedive.

She splits with her loving partner Trey (Milo Ventimiglia of This is Us fame) over her reluctance to start a family with him (all is explained later, but, you know, spoilers).

And as Maya discovers a very special connection with the head of her workplace’s daughter - an ambitious Zoe (Vanessa Hudgens) - she must think long and hard about navigating the right path forward.

While this is a movie centred on a woman’s second chance at a career, this is also a movie about second chances.

J.Lo looks amazing in every shot (especially at 49) and she plays her character Maya with honesty and flair.

My favourite moment of the film was when fellow movie watchers cheered as Maya stepped out of the lifts at her new workplace, clad head to toe in fabulous corporate gear.

Light and fluffy but fewer laughs than I’d hoped for.