Mona Lisa Smile
24,618
Drama. Comedy
In 1953, a time when women’s roles were rigidly defined, novice art history professor Katherine Watson (Julia Roberts) begins teaching at the prestigious all-female Wellesley College, which despite its academic reputation is an environment where success is measured by how well the students marry. Encouraging these women to strive for a more enlightened future, Watson challenges the administration and inspires her students to look beyond ... [+]
Author | Review | ||
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United States | Boston Globe | "The reliable Mike Newell directs Mona Lisa Smile with such assurance that the important moments are never mawkish or dull, and he encourages the women to act with absolute conviction." | POS |
United States | The Washington Post | "Like the turtleneck cashmere sweaters and girdles that tie down these promising women, the movie is trite and trussed." | NEG |
United States | Los Angeles Times | "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" | NEU |
United States | The Wall Street Journal | "The performances, under Mike Newell's direction, range from conventional (Ms. Roberts) to dreadful, and the script is as shallow as an old Cosmo cover story." | NEG |
United States | Variety | "An appealing female cast gives the hollowly formulaic 'Mona Lisa Smile' more dignity than it perhaps deserves" | NEU |
United Kingdom | Empire | "While often enjoyable, thanks to a talented cast and pleasing little subplots, this is shallow, predictable and lacking in conviction (...) Rating: ★★★ (out of 5)" | NEU |
United States | The New Yorker | "The fight against traditionalism has long been won, so the movie’s indignation feels superfluous, but Mike Newell’s direction is solid" | NEU |
United States | USA Today | "Rather than being a fascinating exploration of a much more constrained time in our social history, the film simply feels anachronistic." | NEU |
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