Vote on this title

Do these genes fit this title?
Click on a gene to vote or discover related titles.

Does this gene fit Mona Lisa Smile?

See more like Mona Lisa Smile

See even more

Overview

Watch it:

Find it on:

	Twitter
	IMDb
	Rotten Tomatoes

Mona Lisa Smile, 2003

Starring: Julia Roberts, Maggie Gyllenhaal

Directed by: Mike Newell

Written by: Mark Rosenthal

Language: English, Italian

Country: USA

Runtime: 117 min

MPAA Rating: PG_13

Rating:6.1

Watch it

More like it

Wish List

Favorites

Profile of Mona Lisa Smile

Mona Lisa Smile can be described as sentimental, touching, and bittersweet. The plot revolves around a dedicated educator, feminism, and teachers and students. The main genres are drama and period. In terms of style, Mona Lisa Smile has a Hollywood tone and stars a strong female character. In approach, it is serious and realistic. It is set, at least in part, at a college. Mona Lisa Smile is located in Massachusetts. It takes place in the 1950s. It is based on a book.

Summary of Mona Lisa Smile

Mike Newell's Mona Lisa Smile is a pretty period film that combines a quaint pedagogical tale with a feminist dissection of traditional female roles in 1950s society. Julia Roberts leads an impressive cast of top young actresses including Maggie Gyllenhaal, Kirsten Dunst, and Julia Stiles. Roberts is Katherine Watson, a revolutionary art history teacher at Wellesley College in 1953. Though she has true admiration for her intelligent all-female students, she is perturbed that their interest in finding husbands takes precedence over their studies. Determined to instruct them in feminist values and teach them to be independent--defying the college's emphasis on breeding good wives, mothers, and homemakers--Watson is deemed subversive by the administration. Even Watson's identity--from California, over 30 years old, and unmarried--is problematic. And when she turns her class onto modern art rather than teaching the recommended classical curriculum, Watson is severely chastised by the staunchly conservative students and faculty.

Beautiful photography of the picture-perfect Wellesley campus combined with a perpetual parade of lovely period costumes makes Mona Lisa Smile a visual delight. Strong performances by each of the actresses, including Dunst uncharacteristically cast as a prim and proper prude, and Marcia Gay Harden as a boring tv-addicted spinster, only add to the splendor of this enjoyable film.

Details

Language:	English, Italian
Country:	USA
Release date:	19 December 2003
Runtime:	117 min

Cast and Crew See all

Julia Roberts

as Katherine Ann Watson

Maggie Gyllenhaal

as Giselle Levy

Photos See all

Mona Lisa Smile (2003)

Clips See all

Mona Lisa Smile: Official Trailer

Critics Reviews See all

Chicago Tribune

The men here are negligible, but all the actresses are good -- especially Dunst, who shows a previously unrevealed gift for blending cold conservative roots, starchy appearance, forgiveness and unexpected redemption. Full Review

|
by: Michael Wilmington

The Globe and Mail (Toronto)

First things first: As one of my wise editors noted, no person who can flash as many teeth as Julia Roberts should ever star in a movie called Mona Lisa Smile. Full Review

|
by: Rick Groen

Users Reviews See all

Reasonable

I expected to like this film more than I did. I had hoped it would have been more like Dead Poet's Society, but it never really had anywhere near the level of Student/Teacher connection. It did struggle to hold my attention for some chunks of the... Read and rate it

14.February.2011
|
by: Jack
Jack rated this movie6/10Okay

I didn't think I would have liked this movie at all, and only rented it to pacify my wife. But, I have to admit, Mona Lisa Smile was an OK movie. Although, the basic theme (a teacher changing the lives of students) is tired, there is some good... Read and rate it

23.March.2009
|
by: Jason
Jason rated this movie6/10Okay

Jinni is more fun with friends!

To:

OR add contacts from a webmail or network:

Email:

Password:

Never saved or shared

These people could join your Movie Circle on Jinni!

Select all

Add a personal message or stick with ours:

Success! Invites sent.

Likely to see

Not for me

You

Your Feedback

Us

Help

Jinni is best for now in Firefox, Internet Explorer 7 and 8, and Chrome