Why did I go and see
"Mona Lisa Smile"? Well, not out of my own
choosing, I assure you. I had already promised a
friend I would see a film with her, and lo and behold, she
chose this one because she loves Julia Roberts. So,
non-buttered popkorn and bottled water in hand, I agreed
and sat down for my newest Julia Roberts experience.
I would like to say that Roberts has delivered a fantastic
performance and that "Mona Lisa Smile" excels
over most other films in the genre, but I cannot.
This is a very average -- not too good, not too bad --
just average, that manages to show us what we have seen
countless times before.
The film takes place at Wellesley College in the 1950's.
The school, back then, served as a breeding and grooming
school -- teaching girls how to cook and clean, how to
marry the right man, and how to serve that man for the
rest of their lives. Enter forward-thinking Berkley
teacher Katherine Watson, who comes to teach art to the
students, thinking the school is something other than what
it actually is. There, she encounters an onslaught
of students with varying personalities: Betty
(Kirsten Dunst) is the bitch of the bunch, uptight and
snotty; Joan (Julia Stiles) wants to go to law school, but
is conflicted between her dreams and what society says she
should do; Giselle (Maggie Gyllenhaal) is as sexually
active as they come (much like her role in
"Secretary"); and Constance (Ginnifer Goodwin)
is the bookworm. Somewhere along the way, Roberts
tries to change the way the girls view their roles in
society, and also falls for the Italian teacher (Dominic
West) somewhat.
This film is nothing special. Truthfully, it is a
female version of the "Dead Poets Society", only
nowhere near as powerful and as memorable. It also
reminded me of a more recent film, "The Emperor's
Club" in that it dealt the teacher/student dynamic in
more of a thoughtful way. However, it teaches us
nothing we did not see in those aforementioned films, and
I am just sick to death of the whole 'teacher inspires
class' films. Most fall flat on their asses, and
"Mona Lisa Smile" barely escaped that end.
Julia Roberts was mediocre in her role, and I think
someone a little older might have made more conviction and
more sense.
Maggie Gyllenhaal has the most fun with her role, and that
is evident, which is why she is the most watchable aspect
of the film. Kirsten Dunst really does a poor job
here, and Julia Stiles seems to distant and too rigid to
award any sympathy. Marcia Gay Harden was nice to
see in a smaller role, and she does marvelously, as
always. So, overall, the cast barely manage to carry
the material, which is one of the reasons it is no more of
a success. If you want a film very similar to this
one, only much better, go and check out "Dead Poets
Society", or maybe even "School Ties".
Either one will be worth the cash, I assure you.
