Mona Lisa Smile

"They had everything. She showed them more."

2003 1h 57m EN

👍

6.9

SOLID

★6.9TMDB · 1,945

DramaHistoryRomance

Synopsis

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Katherine Watson is a recent UCLA graduate hired to teach art history at the prestigious all-female Wellesley College, in 1953. Determined to confront the outdated mores of society and the institution that embraces them, Katherine inspires her traditional students, including Betty and Joan, to challenge the lives they are expected to lead.

“They had everything. She showed them more.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Julia Roberts
Katherine Ann Watson
Kirsten Dunst
Betty Warren
Julia Stiles
Joan Brandwyn
Maggie Gyllenhaal
Giselle Levy
Ginnifer Goodwin
Connie Baker
Dominic West
Bill Dunbar
Juliet Stevenson
Amanda Armstrong
Marcia Gay Harden
Nancy Abbey

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Mike Newell
Writers: Lawrence Konner, Mark Rosenthal
Languages: English, Italian
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Mid-budget at $72M — the now-extinct middle tier of Hollywood.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 23 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 2 languages: English, Italian.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

CAST

Did you know

211+ people credited in cast and crew — a small city's worth of labour.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Mike Newell, shot by Anastas N. Michos. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Rachel Portman. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Mick Audsley shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Julia Roberts and Kirsten Dunst and Julia Stiles carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Mike Newell directs. Anastas N. Michos behind the camera. Rachel Portman scores. Mick Audsley cuts. Profitable at the box office. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English, Italian.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Mid-budget at $72M — the now-extinct middle tier of Hollywood.
2Released 23 years ago.
3Dialogue crosses 2 languages: English, Italian.
4211+ people credited in cast and crew — a small city's worth of labour.
5Directed by Mike Newell, shot by Anastas N. Michos. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Original score by Rachel Portman. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
7Editor Mick Audsley shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8Julia Roberts and Kirsten Dunst and Julia Stiles carry the top of the cast.
9Marketing tagline: "They had everything. She showed them more.".
10IMDB entry: tt0304415 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
11Classified under 20 themes, including "massachusetts", "art school", "inspiration", "feminist".