Despite the obvious chickflickness, we were definitely anticipating Mona Lisa Smile–how can a film starring Julia Roberts, Kirsten Dunst, Julia Styles, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Dominic West and directed by Mike Newell not be great? Sadly, this movie shows exactly how.
Generally compared to the much-better Robin Williams Dead Poets Society, Smile is the story of new Wellesley art history prof Roberts and her difficulty fitting into the conservative college environment for the 1953-54 school year. West is the Italian professor who screwed the promiscuous Gyllenhall the previous semester before hooking up as Roberts’ love interest and the other women are her students. Why seniors would be taking an introductory art history class is just one of the many questions never answered, by the way.
The core problem with this movie is the absence of a defining conflict. Saying that Roberts’ character does not fit in is far too abstract to drive a movie and the writing team of Lawrence Konner and Mark Rosenthal try to throw in a bunch of smaller issue to hide this but simply fail. A prime example of form without substance, the acting and most othe aspect are just fine but cannot overcome such a deficiency.
Newell, especially, has a long history of quality including Into the West, Four Weddings and a Funeral and Donnie Brasco; his effort here does make me wonder, though, about his upcoming Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. After about 40 years as a director you’d think he would see this problem screamingly no later than early editing cuts. Oh well.
not recommended
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