The film Mona Lisa Smile is a portrait of human suffering behind the artificial blissfulness and empty dreams to which the women of 1953 felt they were constrained. Katherine Watson, played by Julia Roberts (The Mexican), is a bohemian, freethinking University of California-Berkeley graduate who eagerly takes a teaching position at the all-female Wellesley college. Her alternative perspectives, however, make her less than welcome. Her divergent teaching techniques cause an uproar among a conservative faculty and student body. However, Watson's unique approach begins to impact her students' lives. Not only do the girls learn valuable life lessons, Watson also receives one herself. This film is a sincere attempt, but is almost so typical that one could practically mouth the words before the actors mumble them.

The inspirational teacher plot had its shining appeal in movies such as Dead Poet's Society, To Sir With Love and Mr. Holland's Opus, but perhaps it is finally time to let it go. The only thing that saves Mona Lisa Smile from its mediocre dialogue and plot is its star-studded cast of young actors including Kirsten Dunst (Spider-man), and Julia Stiles (A Guy Thing), Maggie Gyllenhaal (Secretary).

Despite potential yearning to pursue scholarly ambitions, fear of defying societal expectations and suffering the consequences are considered simply too much to bear for a Wellesley girl. Instead, many render themselves content with the blueprints already devised for them, consisting of a husband to care for and a house to keep tidy. The extremely conservative school journalist Betty Warren, played fiercely by Kirsten Dunst, pitifully identifies her greatest ideal as putting dinner on the table by five and owning her own washing machine. In an attempt to make sure the rest of the student population possesses the same conservative values, she gets a teacher fired by writing an incriminating article regarding the teacher's decision to supply student Giselle Levy (Maggie Gyllenhaal) with contraception.

Warren also makes Watson's experience at Wellesley all the more miserable through vicious articles criticizing Watson's unusual teaching style and mentoring. When Watson encourages Warren's best friend Joan Brandwyn (Julia Stiles) to pursue Yale Law School, going so far as to even provide her with an application, Warren really goes to battle.

Watson also gets involved romantically with an Italian professor, played by Dominic West (Chicago), from whom she gains valuable knowledge about her intentions for both her students and herself.

After a sequence of saddening but enlightening events, the students begin to respect and even admire Watson for her ability to see beyond gender barriers.

The actors in Mona Lisa Smile are the only highlight of the film. Roberts gives a first-rate performance. Dunst is emotionally wrenching in a character atypical to her previous roles. Seeing Dunst espouse a malicious mean streak is refreshing for viewers. Maggie Gyllenhaal struggles as a Jewish girl in a school comprised mainly of Christian girls.

She is genuine in her expressive performance attempting to overcome her reputation as a classless sleaze, a result of her well-known affair with the Italian professor.

Julia Stiles, however, is lackluster as a student with hidden aspirations of law school brought to the surface with the help of Watson. Newcomer Ginnifer Goodwin, who plays Connie Baker, is effective in her portrayal as a timid girl who learns to overcome her insecurities with Watson's guidance. Marcia Gay Harden (Mystic River), who plays Watson's conservative housemate Nancy Abbey, is also very convincing, and is appalled by Watson's daring behavior.

One of the main themes of the film is that things are not always as they seem. This applies to the limiting stereotypes that plagued women of the 1950s. Despite this solid message, the film is simply too conventional, eventually reaching a predictable destination. It is true that many still appreciate this recurrent theme of a struggling teacher becoming respectable role model, but perhaps films using this theme today need a bit more to charm viewers. Even the fine acting cannot save Mona Lisa Smile from its bland intentions.