Mona Lisa Smile Blu-Ray Review

You can own this blu-ray today

Synopsis: Academy Award-winner Julia Roberts (Best Actress in a Leading Role, Erin Brockovich, 2000) leads an all-star cast featuring Kirsten Dunst, Julia Stiles, Maggie Gyllenhall and Marcia Gay Harden. Mona Lisa Smile is a funny, inspiring and uplifting film about an art history professor with a lot to teach about life and much to learn about romance.

Review: The film Mona Lisa Smile was a departure for Julia Roberts.  She doesn't typically do period film.  Set in the 1950s, the movie takes us into the life of a college art professor that challenges established society women at Wellesley college with women's lib ideology.  The reaction that she gets is quite negative at first and in the end drives her away.

There are three main characters in the film, other than Roberts.  Kirstin Dunst plays the steadfast traditionalist that badmouths her most of the film, but in the end she sees her way.  Julia Styles plays the woman with high potential that Roberts tries to take under her wing, but loses to the system and Maggie Gyllenhaal plays a loose girl that has a tendency to date married men and even professors.  In the end, everything is very realistic...there is no great change in the world, but only in the lives of a few individuals.  Even in Roberts.

The film has been out for many, many years on DVD, but has just now hit blu-ray!  The special features on the blu-ray include:


The film looks great in the transfer to high-definition.  The detail on Julia Roberts really comes out.  Her skin tone and blemishes all come forward.  The film itself doesn't pop necessarily, due to the drab colors utilized, but it has very minimal grain and is an enjoyable watch.  If you don't own this one, blu-ray is the way to go.  If you do own it, and upgrade is in order!

Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars