# Mona Lisa Smile

Mona Lisa Smile is a 2003 American drama film produced by Revolution Studios and Columbia Pictures in association with Red Om Films Productions, directed by Mike Newell, written by Lawrence Konner and Mark Rosenthal, and starring Julia Roberts, Kirsten Dunst, Julia Stiles, and Maggie Gyllenhaal.
The title is a reference to the Mona Lisa, the famous painting by Leonardo da Vinci, and to the song of the same name, originally performed by Nat King Cole, which was covered by Seal for the film. Julia Roberts received a record $25 million for her performance, the highest ever earned by an actress at that time.

## Plot

In 1953, 30-year-old Katherine Ann Watson accepts an Art History teaching position at Wellesley College. She quickly discovers her students have memorized the entire textbook and syllabus, so she introduces modern art and encourages discussion about what art is. Katherine also challenges her students to achieve more in life than marriage.
Outspoken conservative Betty Warren writes editorials for the college paper, and insists that a universal standard exists for what is good art. She attacks Katherine for advocating that women seek careers in addition to marriage and exposes campus nurse and lesbian Amanda Armstrong for supplying contraception to students, resulting in her termination.
Betty is eager to marry her fiancé Spencer and expects the traditional married-student exemptions; however, Katherine insists she will grade her based on merit and expects her to complete all assignments and tests. When Betty's married life does not go smoothly, she begins taking out her frustrations on the other girls, particularly Connie and Giselle.
Betty often ridicules Connie Baker and insists her cousin, Charlie, is taking Connie to her wedding reception only as a favor. Connie is surprised when he expresses genuine interest in her, and they begin dating. Connie breaks things off after Betty claims Charlie is actually dating Deb, the daughter of the couple Charlie had avoided while they were on holiday. Betty claims Connie is just a casual fling Charlie was trying to hide.
Weeks later, Connie and Charlie reconnect with him insisting he had stopped seeing Deb the previous summer and only began dating his current girlfriend after Connie stopped seeing him. Connie tearfully confronts Betty for lying and being hurtful, asking why Betty could not let her be happy. Later, Connie breaks into Charlie's dorm to ask for another chance, and they rekindle their relationship.
Joan Brandwyn considers studying law at Yale Law School, so Katherine encourages her to apply. Although accepted, Joan declines admission to instead elope with Tom Donegal. When Joan tells Katherine it is what she truly wants, Katherine offers congratulations and wishes her happiness.
Giselle Levy is liberal about sex and has had several lovers, including Wellesley Italian professor, Bill Dunbar. She moves on from him when he and Katherine begin dating. Giselle admires Katherine for encouraging students' independence. She earns Betty's enmity as her marriage falls apart.
Katherine's California boyfriend Paul unexpectedly visits and proposes, but Katherine declines and they break up. She begins dating Bill Dunbar, who often recounts stories about his war service in Italy. Bill has had affairs with students, including Giselle, so Katherine insists he stop. Upon learning Bill never served in Italy and was only stationed at the Army Languages Center on Long Island, Katherine ends the relationship.
Betty's marriage falls apart after Spencer has an affair. Betty leaves him but her mother demands she forgive him. She confronts Giselle in her dorm, at first attacking her for being promiscuous, then breaking down. Giselle is the only student who knows about Spencer's infidelity and comforts Betty.
Betty regrets maligning Katherine in her editorials. Eventually, Betty files for divorce, and she and Giselle plan to find an apartment in Greenwich Village. When Betty’s mother confronts her at graduation, Betty chastises her and credits Katherine as being the only one who supported her, vowing to live her own life.
Despite disapproving of Katherine's progressive teaching methods, Wellesley administrators invite her to return the following year as her course is extremely popular, but only under strict conditions. Katherine refuses and resigns. Betty dedicates her last editorial to her, admiring her for living by example and challenging them to see the world through new eyes. As Katherine leaves in a taxi, the students follow on their bikes to say goodbye.

## Cast

* Julia Roberts as Katherine Ann Watson
* Kirsten Dunst as Elizabeth "Betty" Warren (Jones)
* Julia Stiles as Joan Brandwyn (Donegal)
* Maggie Gyllenhaal as Giselle Levy
* Juliet Stevenson as Amanda Armstrong
* Dominic West as Bill Dunbar
* Ginnifer Goodwin as Constance "Connie" Baker
* Topher Grace as Tommy Donegal
* John Slattery as Paul Moore
* Marcia Gay Harden as Nancy Abbey
* Jordan Bridges as Spencer Jones
* Marian Seldes as President Jocelyn Carr
* Donna Mitchell as Mrs. Warren
* Terence Rigby as Dr. Edward Staunton
* Laura Allen as Susan Delacorte
* Tori Amos as wedding singer
* Emily Bauer as a student
* Lisa Roberts Gillan as Miss Albini
* Annika Marks as a student
* Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Charlie Stewart
* Lily Rabe as a student
* Krysten Ritter as a student
* Christopher J. Burke as janitor

## Production

Melanie Lynskey auditioned for the roles of Connie and Giselle.

## Box office

In its first weekend, Mona Lisa Smile opened at number two at the U.S. box office, earning US$11,528,498 behind The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. By the end of its run, while the film had grossed a respectable $141,337,989 worldwide, its U.S. domestic gross did not meet its $65 million budget, falling short at $63,860,942.

## Reception

Mona Lisa Smile received mixed to negative reviews from film critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, it has a 33% approval rating based on 150 reviews, with an average score of 4.9/10 and a consensus: "Though Mona Lisa Smile espouses the value of breaking barriers, the movie itself is predictable." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 45 out of 100, based on 40 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".
In a typical review, Claudia Puig of USA Today wrote, "it's Dead Poets Society as a chick flick, without the compelling drama and inspiration... even Roberts doesn't seem convinced. She gives a rather blah performance as if she's not fully committed to the role... Rather than being a fascinating exploration of a much more constrained time in our social history, the film simply feels anachronistic. The film deserves a solid 'C' for mediocrity and muted appeal." Critic Elizabeth M. Tamny of the Chicago Reader shared this negative assessment, writing "Part of the problem is simply that Mona Lisa Smile is a Hollywood film, and Hollywood isn't good at depicting the life of the mind... And Julia Roberts is no help--you either like her or you don't, but either way it has little to do with talent. She's not so much an actor as a vessel for earnest reactions. The fact is... It's easier to take on an extremely black-and-white version of the most salient question from this film - can women bake their cake and eat it too? - than try to answer it in the present."
David Ansen of Newsweek wrote, "What drew the usually astute Mike Newell ('Four Weddings and a Funeral', 'Donnie Brasco') to this project? There are hints that the script (credited to Mark Rosenthal and Lawrence Konner) may once have had more shadings - a suggestion that Katherine's idealism is a form of power-tripping; that she's afraid of intimacy - but any ambiguity is quickly brushed aside to make way for the Julia lovefest. Newell, no hack, tries not to milk the cliches shamelessly, and that may be the movie's final undoing. Lacking the courage of its own vulgarity, 'Mona Lisa Smile' is as tepid as old bathwater."

### Accolades

| Association | Category | Recipient | Results |
| Critics Choice Movie Award | Best Song | Elton John Bernie Taupin | Nominated |
| Golden Globe Award | Best Original Song | Elton John Bernie Taupin | Nominated |
| Phoenix Film Critics Society Award | Best Use of Previously Published or Recorded Music | — | Nominated |
| Satellite Award | Best Original Song | Elton John | Nominated |
| Teen Choice Award | Choice Movie Actress - Drama/Action-Adventure | Julia Stiles | Nominated |
| Teen Choice Award | Choice Movie - Sleazbag | Kirsten Dunst | Nominated |

## Reaction from Wellesley and Wellesley alumnae

The college issued an official statement explaining their decision to allow the film to shoot on campus.
In a message to Wellesley alumnae concerning the film, Wellesley College president Diana Chapman Walsh expressed regret about some of the reactions it generated, as many alumnae from the 1950s felt that the film's portrayal of Wellesley was inaccurate.