Mona Lisa Smile

Play trailer

Mona Lisa Smile

PG-13

Released Dec 19, 2003

1h 57m

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

33%

Tomatometer

150 Reviews

60%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

Katherine Watson (Julia Roberts) 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 Determined to confront the outdated mores of society and the institution that embraces them, Katherine inspires her traditional students including Betty (Kirsten Dunst) and Joan (Julia Stiles) to challenge the lives they are expected to lead.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Buy Now

Critics Consensus

Though Mona Lisa Smile espouses the value of breaking barriers, the movie itself is predictable and safe.

Read Critics Reviews

David Ansen

Newsweek

The cartoon notions of the '50s and snooty Easterners say more about Hollywood cluelessness than about the period the film condescends to...lacking the courage of its own vulgarity, Mona Lisa Smile is as tepid as old bathwater.

Mar 12, 2018

Full Review

Antonia Quirke

London Evening Standard

Just what we need: a pyjama party posing as a movie.

Dec 20, 2017

Full Review

Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

Glossy entertainment value but far from art.

Rated: 3/5

Dec 26, 2010

Full Review

Cole Smithey

ColeSmithey.com

Kirsten Dunst, Julia Stiles and Maggie Gyllenhaal furnish well-observed performances that frequently outshine Julia Roberts's reflex characterization in this female variant of "Dead Poets Society."

Rated: B-

May 12, 2009

Full Review

Film Threat

Rated: 2/5

Dec 6, 2005

Full Review

Garth Franklin

Dark Horizons

Rated: 2.5/5

Apr 2, 2005

Full Review

Read all reviews

Audience Member

Don’t listen to the critics. The movie is so good!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/18/25

Full Review

Susan G

A lovely and relatable story. Recommended as a feel-good movie on a quiet evening.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

05/07/25

Full Review

Wendy B

I absolutely loved this movie. Julia Roberts was wonderful in it. I’m surprised I had never seen this one before. It was an enjoyable movie about a very talented and gifted art teacher, and about the relationships and norms of the 1950s. Highly recommended!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/22/25

Full Review

Rami A

It isn't the story that drives us, but the characters and their journies do. We grow to love, hate, and sympathize with them. We yearn, cheer, and wished we'd listened to Miss Watson to become the kind of strong and mature people we opt to be. This challenges us to view life differently than we normally do.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

04/11/25

Full Review

Laura V

No suelo redactar opiniones, pero viendo las que hay me he visto obligada! Siento que las opiniones negativas están condicionadas por la sensación de que falta algo si no hay un personaje principal masculino que cargue con la trama y no sea simplemente el interés amoroso de la protagonista femenina. Es una buena película, la temática es muy interesante y las actuaciones son muy decentes a la altura de las actrices que las realizan. Lo siento mucho por toda esa gente que no le va a parecer buena por ser tan feminizada, pero eso no lo hace peor película, estaría bien que todos pudieramos apreciar esta narrativa. Si no es así, podeis volver a películas como "El club de los poetas muertos", "El club de la lucha", Ocean's eleven", o "los odiosos ocho".

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/23/25

Full Review

Mike M

Stands the test of time, unfortunately with the MAGA America……………

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/06/25

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Mike Newell

Director

Julia Roberts

Katherine Watson

Kirsten Dunst

Betty Warren

Julia Stiles

Joan Brandwyn

Maggie Gyllenhaal

Giselle Levy

Juliet Stevenson

Amanda Armstrong

The Deep End of the Ocean

42%

58%

The Deep End of the Ocean

Watchlist

I Love You, I Love You Not

40%

40%

I Love You, I Love You Not

Watchlist

The Company

72%

49%

The Company

Watchlist

An Unfinished Life

53%

67%

An Unfinished Life

Watchlist

All the King's Men

12%

40%

All the King's Men

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Synopsis

Katherine Watson (Julia Roberts) 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 (Kirsten Dunst) and Joan (Julia Stiles) to challenge the lives they are expected to lead.

Director: Mike Newell
Producer: Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas, Deborah Schindler, Paul Schiff
Screenwriter: Lawrence Konner, Mark Rosenthal
Distributor: Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment
Production Co: Red Om Films, Columbia Pictures Corporation, Revolution Studios
Rating: PG-13 (Thematic Issues|Sexual Content)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 19, 2003, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 25, 2011
Box Office (Gross USA): $63.7M
Runtime: 1h 57m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby SR, DTS, SDDS
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

Most Popular at Home Now