Mona Lisa Smile

Name: Mona Lisa Smile
Genre: Drama, Romance
Released: December 19, 2003
Duration: 117 min
Rating: 45
Cast: Julia Roberts, Julia Stiles, Kirsten Dunst, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Marcia Gay Harden

2003

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 40 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 43 Ratings

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6.9

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6.9	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 43 Ratings

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Mona Lisa Smile

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Movie Details & Credits

Columbia Pictures | Release Date: December 19, 2003 | PG-13

Starring: Julia Roberts, Julia Stiles, Kirsten Dunst, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Marcia Gay Harden

Summary: Set at all-female Wellesley College in 1953, this is an uplifting and poignant drama about one woman's desire to enrich the lives of her students. (Sony)

Director: Mike Newell

Genre(s): Drama, Romance

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 117 min

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Critic Reviews

Lawrence Toppman

The most radical thing about the movie, the thing that may make it most appealing to modern audiences, is that the filmmakers say both sides are right. Read full review

William Arnold

A strangely mixed blessing filled with glossy production values and vibrant supporting performances but suffers mightily from a lack of credibility and the grinding predictability of its plot. Read full review

Manohla Dargis

For all its flaws, its obvious if irrelevant similarity to "Dead Poets Society," it lets us spend some quality time with some of the finest actresses in American film as they give energetic life to one of the most radically underrepresented minorities in Hollywood: the intelligent woman. Read full review

TV Guide Magazine Maitland McDonagh

From her speech patterns to her body language, Roberts's performance is wrong for the period. Read full review

Chris Kaltenbach

Put simply, Mona Lisa Smile is too much of a stacked deck -- a movie too concerned with ensuring that audiences feel a certain way to risk anything like nuance or interpretation. Read full review

Jessica Winter

Mona Lisa Smile's only mysteries are the result of frenzied corner-cutting as Newell & Co. speed through the last reel, an exhausting cram session of hair-trigger speechifying and identity transformations bordering on the science-fictional. Read full review

Peter Travers

"Irritating" doesn't begin to describe Julia Roberts as Katherine, an art-history prof who arrives at Wellesley in 1953. Read full review

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User Reviews

FilipeNeto

Feb 12, 2018

Art overcoming mental barriers.

This film tells the story of a young teacher of art history who teaches in an ultraconservative female private school. Through their ideas, she will discuss the school's rigid moral and the rules of the society of fifties, managing to earn the respect of hisArt overcoming mental barriers.

This film tells the story of a young teacher of art history who teaches in an ultraconservative female private school. Through their ideas, she will discuss the school's rigid moral and the rules of the society of fifties, managing to earn the respect of his colleagues and the affection of the students. Directed by Mike Newell, this movie features Julia Roberts as the protagonist and Kirsten Dunst in the role of a conservative student, who will lead the opposition to the modern ideas concerning women.

This film could be just another film about the private schools of American rich kids if it were three important factors that make the difference: the first is the good performance of Julia Roberts, even better than in other more acclaimed films; the second is the song "The Heart of Every Girl" composed by Sir Elton John purposely for the film and winner of a Golden Globe; the third is the screenplay, very well written and directed, focusing not only in the change of mind of the students but also in the drastic change of the role of women during the twentieth century.

Despite the positive notes, this movie has two serious defects. The first is that it is too similar to the movie "Dead Poets Society". So similar that all those who watch this film without paying attention will think it is just a female version of the film starring Robin Williams. The second flaw in this movie is too much focus on the fights between girls, which only served to lighten the film and remove maturity to the plot. Maybe it was because of these small defects that the film never reached a higher level of recognition and reputation: contrary to "The Dead Poets Club" (comparisons are inevitable), this film didn't received major awards or nominations. Nevertheless, it's truly remarkable and deserves place in the living room of any lover of good cinema.… Expand

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SandyC.

May 2, 2006

Very enjoyable movie with good performances.

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whatastorymark

Apr 21, 2016

I'd rather drink lemon juice with razors in it. One of the worst movies I have ever seen. STAY FAR AWAY FROM THIS PIECE OF CRAP!! HOW CAN ANYONE LIKE THIS?

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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