Mona Lisa (1986)

You won't be disappointed!

Sorry, this movie sucks

Brilliant and touching

A lot of fun.

On his release from prison George, a minor-league criminal, finds that life is tough. He is estranged from his wife, who wants to deny him access to their teenage daughter Jeannie, and cannot find a legitimate job. Even his former associates no longer want him in on their schemes. Eventually, his former boss Denny Mortwell gives him a job as chauffeur and bodyguard to a high-class call girl named Simone, for whom Mortwell effectively acts as pimp. Mortwell also wants him to gather information on Simone's customers, whom he intends to blackmail.Despite his criminal past, George still retains much of the moral conservatism of the working-class London community from which he springs; he disapproves strongly, for example, of drug use. He also disapproves of prostitution, especially when he discovers that some of the girls working the streets are no older than Jeannie. This initially makes for a difficult working relationship with Simone, particularly as she has worked hard to cultivate a ladylike, upper-class style to fit in with her wealthy clients and finds George uncouth and vulgar. As their relationship progresses, however, the two become friends, and George even begins to fall in love with Simone- so much so that when she asks him for help in finding her friend Cathy, who has disappeared, George readily agrees, even though he may be putting himself in danger by doing so.The title does not refer directly to Leonardo's famous painting, which is never seen or referred to, but rather to the Nat King Cole song, which serves as the film's theme tune. The song is about a beautiful young woman whose aloof and enigmatic manner have won her the nickname "Mona Lisa", and its use here may be a reference to the similarly beautiful but aloof Simone, who may be hiding a number of secrets.The 1980s saw a revival of the sort of "kitchen-sink" realism which had played so important a part in the British cinema of the fifties and sixties. This being the decade of "Thatcher's Britain", many of these social-realist films had a political edge, and although "Mona Lisa" is not as overtly political as some it nevertheless reflects the social divisions in British society during the period. These divisions are even reflected in the world of prostitution; there is a sharp contrast between the superficially glamorous world of high-class call-girls like Simone, wined and dined by the wealthy elite in luxury hotels, and the seedy world of streetwalkers like Cathy and the pathetic Irish teenager May, brutalised both by their clients and their pimps.The film reunites Michael Caine and Bob Hoskins, who had previously acted together in "The Honorary Consul". Caine and Hoskins were around the same age, but Caine had achieved stardom much earlier, and Hoskins had taken a supporting role in "The Honorary Consul". Here, however, Hoskins plays the leading role with Caine in support. It can be said, in fact, that this was the film which brought Hoskins, who was already well-known in Britain after starring in another London crime drama, "The Long Good Friday", to international notice. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor, even though "Mona Lisa", with its gritty urban setting and regional accents, is not the sort of British movie which generally appeals to the American market.In the event, Hoskins lost out to Paul Newman in "The Color of Money". Newman's win is often, like Henry Fonda's for "On Golden Pond", dismissed as a "sentimental Oscar", awarded less for the performance itself than as a way of making amends to the actor for having been overlooked in the past. I would not dissent from this view; Newman's performance is a reasonably good one, but it is far from being the best of his career and far from being the best given by any actor in 1986. That does not, however, necessarily mean that Hoskins should have won the award. 1986 was a strong year in the cinema, on both sides of the Atlantic, and other possible contenders would have included both Jeremy Irons and Robert de Niro for "The Mission", William Hurt for "Children of a Lesser God" and Woody Allen for "Hannah and Her Sisters". Hoskins combines well here with Cathy Tyson, who on the strength of this performance was widely tipped to become Britain's first major black female film star. (In the event she never quite made it; this remains her best-known role). Both George and Simone are flawed characters whose activities have put them on the wrong side of the law or of accepted standards of morality, but Hoskins and Tyson succeed in making them well-rounded and understandable individuals, even at times likable despite their flaws, and do this without falling back on sentimental "tart with a heart" clichés. There are also good contributions from Caine as Mortwell and Robbie Coltrane as George's friend Thomas. The eighties saw a revival not just of the "kitchen-sink" tradition but also of the British cinema as a whole, which had been in something of a decline in the seventies. When I first saw "Mona Lisa" in the cinema in 1986 I found it no more than a run-of-the-mill neo-noir crime drama, but over the years my respect for it has increased, and today its gripping story, fine acting and cold-eyed look at the Britain of the period make it one of the key films in this eighties revival. 8/10

George (Bob Hoskins) gets out of prison but his wife won't let him see his daughter. Thomas (Robbie Coltrane) is his friend from the old days. Times have changed. The only job he can get is to drive high-priced call girl Simone (Cathy Tyson) for local gangster Denny Mortwell (Michael Caine). George and Simone don't get along at first. Simone talks George into looking for young prostitute Cathy but he befriends abused May (Sammi Davis) instead. Meanwhile Denny wants George to find out what Simone is doing with one particular client.Cathy Tyson is electric in her character. Bob Hoskins is great but his character is conveniently written dumb sometimes. At times, he's too naive like crashing in on one of Simone's tricks. I don't know what exactly he expects to see in that room. Sammi Davis is absolutely heart-breaking. The movie is a little uneven at times but the two leads are great.

After serving seven years in prison, the smalltime criminal George (Bob Hoskins) is released. He seeks out his daughter but his ex-wife does not allow him to talk to her. His friend Thomas (Robbie Coltrane) meets George and gives his Jaguar that he kept for him. George is impressed with the changing in the neighborhood while Thomas explains the new reality. George is hired by his former boss Mortwell (Michael Caine) to work as the driver and bodyguard of the high-class call girl Simone (Cathy Tyson). In the beginning, George is misfit for the position and does not get along with Simone; but gradually he befriends and falls in unrequited love with her. Simone looks for someone on the streets of the King's Cross district (red light district of London in the 80's) and soon she asks George to help her to find the prostitute Cathy (Kate Hardie). George is involved with the underworld of prostitution and is chased by the dangerous pimp Anderson (Clarke Peters). When he finds Cathy, he discovers the connection of Simone to her."Mona Lisa" is a melancholic love story in an environment of low-lives and losers in the underworld of London. The beginning of this movie is a drama entwined with romance and ends a thriller. The good-hearted George is a needy small-time criminal, naive in many moments that falls in love with the prostitute Simone. Bob Hoskins, Cathy Tyson and Michael Caine have magnificent performances. Nat King Cole´s song gives a touch of class to his great film. My vote is eight.Title (Brazil): "Mona Lisa"Note: On 17 July 2018 I saw this film again.

I was completely blown away and amazed at how brilliant this film is, and how underrated it's become since it came out. The title is based on the Nat King Cole song "Mona Lisa", which he sings about the famous Da Vinci painting and the mystery that surrounds it - and film revokes around that same painful mystery of a what a certain woman wants, and what she has experienced.The film opens with that song, with the male lead character, George walking to his daughter's house after his release from prison. Looking for work as a chauffeur for his gangster boss, he is appointed to a high class, sophisticated black prostitute, Simone, to drive her around. She is annoyed at first by his appearance, but slowly begins to trust him, fitting him into new clothes. But as soon as she has faith in him, she eventually drags him in to a dangerous pursuit and rescue of a young girl, forced into prostitution. Led into the underworld of porn, sleaze, clubs and street mayhem, George, who unfortunately falls for Simone, questions whether his job is worth it or not and will he or Simone could survive it. One of the many themes of this movie is the unrequited love of Simone, a beautiful hooker who cannot be possessed, that George develops, and the difficult subject of underage forced prostitution and sadism. Bob Hoskins shines at the top of his acting game as George, showing both fierceness as well as sensitivity to the role, making it a perfect match and a well deserved Oscar nominated portrayal. Cathy Tyson was also perfect as the Mona Lisa - like Simone, and Michael Caine appears as the ruthless king pin Mortwell.Adding to the mix is the great music, the theme song by Genesis and the dark atmospheric look of London's night spots. All this made me want to see the film again and again, thinking about something different that I saw in it each time. In my opinion, the key to a good movie is wanting to see it again right after it finishes. It's just too bad Hoskins didn't win the Oscar and Cathy Tyson disappeared without a trace over the years. Although it's sometimes bleak, it's a gorgeous piece of art, just like the painting.