Woman on Top is a 2000 American fantasy romantic comedy film directed by Fina Torres, written by Vera Blasi, and starring Penélope Cruz, Murilo Benício, Harold Perrineau Jr., and Mark Feuerstein.

Chef Isabella Oliveira leaves her husband Toninho in Brazil to try to start over at her friend Monica's in San Francisco, as he committed adultery and doesn't listen to her needs.

She must drive rather than ride in a car, take stairs instead of elevators, lead while dancing, and be on top during coitus.

Isabella flees Brazil to San Francisco to stay with her Afro-Brazilian transsexual friend Monica, who spent her early years with her in the fishing community of Salvador.

Isabella performs a sacrifice to Yemanja, a Brazilian sea goddess, to harden her heart and make her never love Toninho again.

With a group of local street musicians, Toninho sneaks into the studio and onto the set, serenading Isabella on the live broadcast.

Network executives offer to syndicate Isabella's show nationally, but only after demanding a number of changes, including firing Monica.

[5] On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 34% score based on 97 reviews, with an average rating of 4.7/10.

The site's consensus: Despite Penelope Cruz's beauty and charm, the movie is too tepid to be a romance and too silly to be believable.