Mystic Pizza

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Mystic Pizza

R

Released Oct 14, 1988

1h 42m

Romance

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

78%

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27 Reviews

54%

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25,000+ Ratings

Mystic Pizza charts the lives and loves of three unforgettable waitresses in a little town called Mystic. For sexy Daisy Araujo (Julia Roberts), her sensible sister Kat (Annabeth Gish) and their wisecracking friend Jojo (Lili Taylor), the summer after high school is a summer they'll never forget. Slinging pizza at a local restaurant, the three girls share their hopes, dreams and plans for escaping their small town.

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Critics Consensus

Mystic Pizza is like its namesake food: it's cheesy, topped with romance, and rises to the occasion.

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Bob Thomas

Associated Press

Don't be put off by the ambiguous-sounding title and the lack of star names. Mystic Pizza is a marvelously warm and funny comedy-drama that is frankly sentimental but never cloying.

Rated: 3/4

Jul 23, 2019

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Variety Staff

Variety

Genuine and moving.

Mar 26, 2009

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Mark Sanderson

Time Out

Thanks to sensitive direction by Petrie, the result is a thoroughly involving movie that doesn't resort to violence, sex or schmaltz to pack an emotional punch.

Feb 9, 2006

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Rene Jordan

El Nuevo Herald (Miami)

The film, like pizza in the title, is not nutritious but it is very tasty. [Full review in Spanish]

Jul 5, 2022

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Rachel Wagner

rachelsreviews.net

I enjoyed the friendship between the 3 young women

Rated: 6/10

Jun 3, 2022

Full Review

David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

It's clear immediately that Mystic Pizza benefits substantially from the efforts of its talented roster of performers...

Rated: 2/4

Aug 22, 2020

Full Review

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Tom F

Townie romance and adventure, ‘80s style.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/29/25

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alan g

One of the best romcoms ever. The three lead actresses are excellent. Great plot, great screenplay. Fun to watch.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/21/25

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M B

The thing with Mystic Pizza is that it's kind of boring. Nothing very unique or interesting happens. It continues to get watched because of the actors in it- some big names in an early start. And if you know the area, you watch it, because you love Mystic, and the movie shoots the location in a gorgeous way- everyone gets a taste of one of the best New England towns. Unfortunate truth: amazing pizza in the area can be found, but only tourists go to Mystic Pizza.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/27/24

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Test T

I watched this on DVD recently. I though the story was weak and lacked pace. Far too much of it just feels ordinary, and the cheesy musical score just makes it worse. Julia Roberts can be amazing with the right script, but sadly not in this movie. There are some high lights, like the pool hustler scene and the hitch hiking scene but there are not enough of them. There are a lot of night time scenes which lack definition due to mediocre lighting and grainy film. It may have seemed better in 1988, but now it looks dated and sub prime. It's not terrible, just ordinary.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

02/20/24

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Brandon W

Though it doesn't often push the envelope, Mystic Pizza brings all the ingredients of family, duty, love and destiny together in this hot and fresh comedy drama. Julia Roberts reminds us what made her a star as the wistful and resourceful Julie Mystic, looking for love on her own terms while keeping the family business on the rails. An all-star cast once again shows how special effects can dazzle, but heartfelt emotions and down-to-earth dialogue keep audiences invested in characters and their struggles. Surprising newcomer Matt Damon also makes his on-screen debut, and in a fantastic character study as the titular pizza.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/05/23

Full Review

Farah R

A charming romantic drama with more than what other average run-of-the-mill films of its genre usually offer, Mystic Pizza is a fun boost of nostalgia, albeit a cheesy and cliche one.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

05/16/23

Full Review

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Donald Petrie

Director

Julia Roberts

Daisy Arujo

Annabeth Gish

Katherine "Kat" Arujo

Lili Taylor

Josephina "Jojo" Barboza

Vincent D'Onofrio

Bill

William R. Moses

Tim

Mystic Pizza: Official Clip - Porsche Full of Fish

2:45

Mystic Pizza: Official Clip - Wipe Your Conscience

2:12

Mystic Pizza: Official Clip - All You Love is my Dick

1:50

Mystic Pizza: Official Clip - Follow the Bread Crumbs

2:58

Mystic Pizza: Official Clip - Caught With His Pants Down

2:32

Mystic Pizza: Official Clip - Hitching a Ride

2:01

Mystic Pizza: Official Clip - Don't Monkey With Tradition

1:35

Mystic Pizza: Official Clip - Mystic Pizza's Superb Review

1:25

Mystic Pizza: Official Clip - A Shooting Star

2:22

Mystic Pizza: Official Clip - Pizza Connoisseurs

3:00

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Synopsis

Mystic Pizza charts the lives and loves of three unforgettable waitresses in a little town called Mystic. For sexy Daisy Araujo (Julia Roberts), her sensible sister Kat (Annabeth Gish) and their wisecracking friend Jojo (Lili Taylor), the summer after high school is a summer they'll never forget. Slinging pizza at a local restaurant, the three girls share their hopes, dreams and plans for escaping their small town.

Director: Donald Petrie
Producer: Mark Levinson, Scott M. Rosenfelt
Screenwriter: Amy Holden Jones, Amy Holden Jones, Perry Howze, Randy Howze, Alfred Uhry
Distributor: Samuel Goldwyn Company
Production Co: Samuel Goldwyn Films
Rating: R
Genre: Romance, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 14, 1988, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 30, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $12.8M
Runtime: 1h 42m
Sound Mix: Ultra-Stereo, Surround
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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