Mona Lisa Smile

She gives Maggie G. heavy competition and only loses out because her role calls for her to be more demure. He has a few too many characters and could have stood to lose a few. ... Full Review

Just like the painting, the film is lovely to look at, but it's the emotions behind the smile that have the most appeal. Rachel Portman's distinctive music has a light touch and there's a terrific combo of tunes from the era, including Barbra Streisand's rendition of the Charlie Chaplin song Smile. ... Full Review

Those differences are fascinating -- and as a consequence, "Mona Lisa Smile," which is set in 1953 and dramatizes those differences, is interesting as sociology. Determined to save at least one, she tries to steer a brilliant student named Joan (Julia Stiles) into going to law school. ... Full Review

Despite some first-rate talent in front of the camera, Mona Lisa Smile almost fully fails as a movie, so I can't recommend this DVD to anyone other than the flick's die-hard fans. For the most part, the movie looked nicely concise and accurate. ... Full Review

Julia Stiles, What Women Wanted, 1953 Its important to make art thats really honest, and thats not afraid to be provocative and transgressive if you have to be. The sun is shining, the grass is green, and the girls are eager to look smart. ... Full Review

Julia Roberts famous smile is the foundation for an obvious minor irony in Mike Newells Mona Lisa Smile . Lawrence Konner and Mark Rosenthals predictable script situates Katherine between prissy, pathetic roommate-home ec teacher-and I Love Lucy fan Nancy (Marcia Gay Harden), and lesbian roommate-school nurse Amanda (Juliet Stevenson), forthwith fired for distributing condoms to students. ... Full Review

In short, Mona Lisa Smile is patronising, badly written and just plain boring, despite its oh-so-fabulous cast. There are also some truly awful bits, such as the title-referencing scene where Dunst looks at the Mona Lisa and says, Shes smiling. ... Full Review

Director Mike Newell goes to great pains to create a film that actually feels like the fifties. But the title can be misleading, because it conjures up a hair-tossing, wide-smiling Julia Roberts aping for the cameras in almost every scene. ... Full Review

Mona Lisa Smile isn't a bad film Mona Lisa Smile is one of those movies that wants to teach the world but tries so hard to attain that lofty goal, that it's doomed to fail from the start. That's not to say the cast doesn't do an exceptional job. ... Full Review

Despite the quality cast and a director who made the brilliant Donnie Brasco, Mona Lisa Smile is devoid of enjoyment, intelligence or interest. A 50s-set, female-take on Dead Poets Society, Mona Lisa Smile is like an awful hangover: stomach-churning, stupid and avoidable. ... Full Review