Playing Mona Lisa (2000)

A young pianist is looking for love in all the wrong places once her fiancee drops her. Maybe her flame will be rekindled both for the piano and a new love?

Director:

Matthew Huffman

Writers:

Marni Freedman (play), Marni Freedman (screenplay),

Stars:

Alicia Witt, Harvey Fierstein, Brooke Langton

2 wins.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Alicia Witt	...	Claire Goldstein
Harvey Fierstein	...	Bennett
Brooke Langton	...	Sabrina
Johnny Galecki	...	Arthur
Ivan Sergei	...	Eddie / Carl / Ben
Marlo Thomas	...	Sheila Goldstein
Elliott Gould	...	Bernie Goldstein
Tammy Townsend	...	Alice
Molly Hagan	...	Jenine Goldstein
Estelle Harris	...	Aunt Velva
Pat Crawford Brown	...	Grandma Ida Weinberg
Zachary Kranzler	...	Jeremy
Joe Mazza	...	Barry / Bo
Sulo Williams	...	Manny
Sandra Bernhard	...	Bibi Carlson

Storyline

Claire Goldstein is a gifted pianist, but the same week that none of her friends pass a major competition, including her boyfriend Jeremy, he dumps her. An earthquake in San Francisco damages her apartment, so she must cross town to live with her parents. Her sister is about to get married; her mom is into the occult; her dad is withdrawing and losing his job. Claire obsesses about Jeremy, despite her girlfriends' advising her how to interest other men ("look mysterious, like Mona Lisa") and taking her to parties. Her sweet teacher, Bennett, gets her auditions, but she blows them off. Then, she meets Eddie. Is he the key to her rejoining the human race?

---

Plot Keywords:

pianist | earthquake | piano | girl stripped down to bra | san francisco california | 

---

Genres:

Comedy

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for drug content, sex-related dialogue and brief language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 May 2000 (USA)

Also Known As:

Two Goldsteins on Acid

Filming Locations:

Hayes Street, San Francisco, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$3,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Bubble Factory, The

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

When Claire puts the Tchaikovsky Competition letter on her mirror, she puts it across the corner lengthwise. In the next and subsequent shots, it can be seen sticking out of the corner endwise.

---

Quotes

Bennett: I once heard someone say: "When you dim your light, so that someone else can shine, the whole world gets darker."

---

Connections

References Casablanca (1942)

---

Soundtracks

"The Rumble of Normal"
Written by Doug Deep & Brooke Langton
Performed by Doug Deep & Brooke Langton

User Reviews

Enjoyable film with great cast

"Playing Mona Lisa" is about the crucial point in your life when you're not any longer sure which direction you're heading. After graduation from music college, Claire, a gifted pianist, slightly loses it when her long-time boyfriend leaves her, her house is damaged in an earthquake and she has to move in with her slightly neurotic parents.

The movie, while having many refreshingly comic moments, is also quite serious in its theme, and deals remarkably well with Claire's attempts to get a new grip on her life. The plot-line is not too strong and is drifting along rather than developing; I don't see this as a problem, though, as it pretty much reflects both real life and Claire's lost sense of direction. Even in its darker moments, the movie retains an overall optimistic mood and never turns into a heavy problem movie; if you're looking for quick laughs or lots of action, however, this movie is not for you.

Lots of good acting from a great cast of characters. Alicia Witt is thoroughly enjoyable as Claire and guides her character remarkably through good times, bad times and mood swings. Brooke Langton and Johnny Galecki play along nicely as her very likeable friends. Great performances (as usual) from Elliot Gould as Claire's father and Harvey Fierstein as her piano teacher.

An overall quiet, but thoroughly enjoyable film which starts slowly and seriously grows on you after a while. 8/10.