Monalisa Smile

The second movie we saw was Monalisa Smile. Probably many must have finished watching it. It boasts of a huge star cast (Julia Roberts, Julia Stiles, Kirsten Dunst, Maggie Gyllhenhaal) and, attempts to deal with the issues relating to women in America in the 1950's.

It is set in the Wellesley College which was among the first colleges in the USA which allowed women to graduate (but back then was more like a finishing school where women were encouraged to be home makers than become professionals). Roberts plays the role of an art teacher who challenges her students to think beyond what is expected of them. I enjoyed the movie while I was watching it but, towards the end I felt that it did'nt really tie up all the ends of the story.

If the director's goal was to attempt to give us a picture of 'back then' he succeeds but, really, nothing more. But it had the potential to be a much better movie. Plus, it makes you feel that it is the female version of the movie 'Dead Poets Society'(DPS). And yes, DPS wins, hands down.