Mona Lisa Smile - A Movie Review

No one ever knows the context until reading into the painting.

Mona Lisa Smile is a 2003 film. Set in the 1950s at an all-female institution, a new semester at Wellesley is in session. Katherine Ann Watson is a new teacher. Her freestyle thinking is not taken well by the conservative teachers and students. During the year, she challenges her students to think about new beliefs and their futures.

Mona Lisa Smile is a perfect cultural touchstone film for women audiences. Women’s roles have changed immensely over time. Examining relationships and how to stand your ground, Mona Lisa Smiles is a bold movie. Despite its complex nature, it didn’t exhibit a strong story.

A strong cast of women takes the screen. The cast is the best part of Mona Lisa Smile. Julia Roberts is wonderful as a woman who is ahead of her time. Nervous at first, Katherine learns to speak her mind and guide her students to be something better.

More credits include several of my favorite actresses. Kisten Dunst, Julia Stiles, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Ginnifer Goodwin to name a few. Playing intelligent women, I loved how the girls interacted with one another. The cast shines, particularly Gyllenhaal as a rebellious student and Dunst as a traditional who struggles with the changing world around her.

Mona Lisa Smile also stars Marcia Gay Harden, Dominic West, Juliet Stevenson, John Slattery, and Marian Seldes. That 70s Show fans will be happy to see Topher Grace. No matter what part I see him in, he will always be Eric Forman.

Everything must be right. Wellesley College is a proper school. Anything that is out of place or considered unruly is let go. The 50s was an important timeline. Mona Lisa Smile remains a popular and culturally significant film, particularly for its exploration of feminism and gender roles in the 1950s.

The film's setting and costumes also evoke nostalgia, transporting viewers to a bygone era. Overall, the film should have captured more of the complexities of this era. Holding strong female empowerment themes about independence, the film resonates with multiple audiences.

Mona Lisa Smile’s main intent is to express women’s views as well as modern art. In the symbolic telling, traditions don’t always stay the same. Viewers (and myself) had mixed opinions about the overall story. The film subjects a worthy message about women, but the story lacks depth in its storytelling.

Not much drives the story forward, often repeating sequences or dialogue among the women. The film got too wrapped up in the storylines of the women’s relationships with other men. This was not the right pathway for the film. I wanted the film to delve more into hidden traits among the women and stand their ground about their own rights.

Choices play a significant role in everyone’s life. In a misunderstanding, Katherine believes that one of her students is giving up her dreams because her husband isn’t inclined to the idea of her education. The student was happy with her direction based on her own decisions.

Mike Newell set the tone for this sophisticated film along with his attention to the characters. Since everything at the college has to be perfect is reflected in the camera shots.

Overall, Mona Lisa Smile is a flawed but ultimately enjoyable film that explores important themes and features strong performances from its talented cast of women. Its impact on popular culture, particularly as a feminist work, cannot be overstated. There’s a lot to analyze between the lines. Watch Mona Lisa Smile on HBO. You won’t be disappointed.