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Mona Lisa Smile

Play trailer Poster for Mona Lisa Smile PG-13 Released Dec 19, 2003 1h 57m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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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 Determined to confront the outdated mores of society and the institution that embraces them, Katherine inspires her traditional students including Betty (Kirsten Dunst) and Joan (Julia Stiles) to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.
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Mona Lisa Smile

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Critics Consensus

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

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Critics Reviews

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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 Reviews

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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
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Cast & Crew

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Mike Newell

Director

Julia Roberts

Katherine Watson

Kirsten Dunst

Betty Warren

Julia Stiles

Joan Brandwyn

Maggie Gyllenhaal

Giselle Levy

Juliet Stevenson

Amanda Armstrong

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Movie Info

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)
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