Quick Movie Reviews
Rating of
2.5/4
Daniel Corleone - wrote on 09/20/2012
Katherine Ann Watson (Julia Roberts) is an art teacher with students Betty Warren (Kirsten Dunst), Joan Brandwyn (Julia Stiles) and Giselle Levy (Maggie Gyllenhaal). almost similar premise to Dead Poet's Society but not even remotely close to the impact and brilliance of the aforementioned movie. Had a few nice lines: "People change." "Not all who wander are aimless. Especially not those who seek truth beyond tradition, beyond definition, beyond the image." "But to change for others is to lie to yourself." and "Don't disregard our traditions just because you're subversive." Mona Lisa Smile wastes the talents of the cast with a mediocre script, lack of distinct emotion and inadequate character development.
Rating of
3/4
Rod - wrote on 08/06/2012
Katherine Watson (Julia Roberts) is a newly hired Art History professor at Wellesey College, with a dream fulfilled comes conflicts with her beliefs and the dominating culture in the all-women college. *** Our Art Appreciation professor made us watch this film. I like Julia Roberts, I like the whole picture, and I like the story line. Though, at several points, the film lacks powerful appeal, this particular film delivered well in terms of acting, as proven by a very stellar cast of women, and a great force of ideological background.
Rating of
2.5/4
Topher - wrote on 01/31/2008
This movie goes through the motions of challenging received knowledge, but it's mostly shadow boxing. Asserting a woman's right to pursue both a family and a career does not constitute a progressive agenda in 2003. The characters are mostly types -- with the exception of Maggie Gyllenhaal's performance.
