Mona Lisa Smile

Name: Mona Lisa Smile
Director: Mike Newell
Genre: Drama, History, Romance
Released: 2003-12-19
Rating: 6.6

December 19, 2003· 1h 57m

Drama History Romance

Directed by

Mike Newell

Cast

Julia Roberts Kirsten Dunst Julia Stiles Maggie Gyllenhaal Ginnifer Goodwin Dominic West +154 more ↓

Cinemagraphs Score6.6

Katherine Watson is a recent UCLA graduate hired to teach art history at the prestigious all-female Wellesley College, in 1953. Determined to confront the outdated mores of society and the institution that embraces them, Katherine inspires her traditional students, including Betty and Joan, to challenge the lives they are expected to lead.

Audience Sentiment

Overall6.6

1 — Hated it5 — Neutral10 — Masterpiece

Critics

8+ Great

6-8 Good

<6 Poor

2 reviews·Last updated 1d ago

Peak Moment

Betty's final editorial

7.8at 1h 48m

Lowest Moment

Romantic subplots develop

5.2at 44m

Biggest Swing

The film dips during its romantic subplot complications but recovers strongly with Betty's character transformation and the emotional conclusion

Critics found Mona Lisa Smile to be a competently made but predictable drama elevated by strong performances from its young cast. While the film's exploration of 1950s gender roles had merit, reviewers felt it lacked originality and suffered from formulaic execution, though it gained emotional strength in its final act.

2 reviews analyzed|Sources: Guardian