Mona Lisa Smile (12A)

IT'S poignant to see Roberts passing on her knowledge and experience to the next generation of Hollywood beauties.

Sadly, she's not teaching them how to become a top hooker and snag a rich client, like in Pretty Woman. That might have been a better film.

Instead, Roberts plays Katherine Watson, an art history teacher taking on the establishment at ultra-conservative, all-girls Wellesley College.

Watson's views on the role of women would seem normal today, but this is 1953, and she's teaching a class of ultra-bright ladies whose main ambition is to get married.

Not since Rambo II and Rambo III has it been this easy for the critics to draw a comparison between two films.

For Mona Lisa is the spitting image of Dead Poets' Society, without so much comedy, spirited acting and tragedy.

Watson's feminism clashes with the school's rulers and some of the pupils, many of whom are, unbelievably by today's standards, in the midst of getting married.

An Italian professor proves a questionable love interest for Watson, and her unmarried status is held up like a beacon to the girls as she tries to prove that there is a life beyond doing the laundry.

Exceptions are Giselle (Gyllenhaal) - a charming and enlightened pupil, whose liberated sexuality is way ahead of her time.

And Joan (Stiles), who faces up to Watson's cajoling to become a lawyer, while tubby Connie (Goodwin) finds that some men are worth while.

With all these likeable girls about, it's important to keep a proper bitch in the picture, and Betty (Dunst) does that brilliantly.

Her pinched-faced meanness gets the school nurse (Stevenson) sacked, but her conniving hides disappointment and hurt that Watson could heal.

Many of the scenes lack impact or seem laughably contrived - like Dunst showing off her washing- machine, or the girls ooohing and aaahing when they hear Teacher turned down marriage.

But this chick flick is an engaging look at a battle that's now been won.

There're enough plot strands to catch the attention and the performances hold up well.

A pleasant enough pupil, but could try harder.

Mono rating: six out of ten.