Sometimes movies ask their characters and the audience to question themselves relating to life choices. In `Mona Lisa Smile,' Julia Roberts portrays a college professor of art determined to change her female student's minds about their lots in life. The film takes place during the 1950s and it was generally believed that a woman's place was in the home. The film has that conventional Julia Roberts feel where she is the pretty woman that all admire and she will change everyone's life with her simple wisdom. However, `Mona Lisa Smile' is still unconventional enough to actually be meaningful. Roberts plays Katherine Watson, a graduate of UCLA looking for a position as an art professor at Wellesley College for young women. When accepted, she is astonished to find out the conformity that the college runs under. Girls are there to get degrees, but not to use them. As Watson says, `Imagine that. It is a finishing school disguised as a college for girls!'
When Watson tries to teach the girls about non-conformity and about the spirit of following their own hearts, she faces many incredulous people. One of which is a student named Betty Warren (Kirsten Dunst). Betty writes in the school newsletter about Watson's unorthodox teaching methods, which land Watson into some problems. However, the school will not dismiss Watson because her class turnout in the highest that the art department has ever had. As such, Watson teaches her girls to see beyond the limits of a future household and to follow their dreams. Roberts is a talented actress who can bring an entire theater to tears with the emotional depth that she brings to the characters. Her performance here is just as good as ever, although there is really nothing all too impressive about it. She gets the job done with minimum fuss-it is no wonder that she really is America's sweetheart. Beyond Roberts, `Mona Lisa Smile' has some of industries finest and most talented actresses to date. First off, Marcia Gay Harden who plays Nancy Abbey. Harden is absolutely gifted and she gave one of the finest performances of her career in one of 2003s most critically loved films, `Mystic River.' She plays a sad woman here, following what society's vision of a woman should be as she teaches finishing classes and taking it quite seriously. In one scene, she watches TV alone as she is reminded of a former lover whom she no longer has any ties with. She reminisces about him often and we feel the loneliness that she goes through. Other fine actresses here are Dunst (`Spider-Man'), Julia Styles (`Save the Last Dance') and Maggie Gyllenhaal (`Secretary'). These three young women are the cream of the crop when it comes to young actresses in Hollywood. Each gives a dignified performance that proves their talents once again.
An important message to take away from `Mona Lisa Smile' is that even if you try to impart wisdom to others, in the end, the answers will come from themselves. Watson seems determined that her students should continue their education or pursue work after completing their studies at Wellesley. But what about her student's wants? They made plans of their own. In the end, Watson and her students had something to learn from each other-the pursuit of happiness according to themselves. As the old saying goes, to each his own,' or her own, in this case. All in all, `Mona Lisa Smile' is a good movie about following the path that is right for what that person holds true, not what the standards of society say. ***
When Watson tries to teach the girls about non-conformity and about the spirit of following their own hearts, she faces many incredulous people. One of which is a student named Betty Warren (Kirsten Dunst). Betty writes in the school newsletter about Watson's unorthodox teaching methods, which land Watson into some problems. However, the school will not dismiss Watson because her class turnout in the highest that the art department has ever had. As such, Watson teaches her girls to see beyond the limits of a future household and to follow their dreams. Roberts is a talented actress who can bring an entire theater to tears with the emotional depth that she brings to the characters. Her performance here is just as good as ever, although there is really nothing all too impressive about it. She gets the job done with minimum fuss-it is no wonder that she really is America's sweetheart. Beyond Roberts, `Mona Lisa Smile' has some of industries finest and most talented actresses to date. First off, Marcia Gay Harden who plays Nancy Abbey. Harden is absolutely gifted and she gave one of the finest performances of her career in one of 2003s most critically loved films, `Mystic River.' She plays a sad woman here, following what society's vision of a woman should be as she teaches finishing classes and taking it quite seriously. In one scene, she watches TV alone as she is reminded of a former lover whom she no longer has any ties with. She reminisces about him often and we feel the loneliness that she goes through. Other fine actresses here are Dunst (`Spider-Man'), Julia Styles (`Save the Last Dance') and Maggie Gyllenhaal (`Secretary'). These three young women are the cream of the crop when it comes to young actresses in Hollywood. Each gives a dignified performance that proves their talents once again.
An important message to take away from `Mona Lisa Smile' is that even if you try to impart wisdom to others, in the end, the answers will come from themselves. Watson seems determined that her students should continue their education or pursue work after completing their studies at Wellesley. But what about her student's wants? They made plans of their own. In the end, Watson and her students had something to learn from each other-the pursuit of happiness according to themselves. As the old saying goes, to each his own,' or her own, in this case. All in all, `Mona Lisa Smile' is a good movie about following the path that is right for what that person holds true, not what the standards of society say. ***