This has been waiting on my shelf to be watched (on video, then on DVD) for the best part of twenty years. I've wanted to watch it since its cinema release, when I was too young. Eventually when I could watch it, I suddenly didn't want to as it could only be an anti-climax. And somehow over the years, that pessimism has become a belief that it's a poor film that I won't enjoy.
But I did enjoy it and, somewhat inevitably, it is neither as good as I once believed nor as bad as I once feared. 'Mona Lisa' stands as a relevant and pertinent story today (it should, it's simply a story of unrequited love) but looks horribly dated in style. There are lots of soft-focus close-ups of Tyson or of Tyson with Hoskins and it begins to look a bit like a Gold Blend advert. It is harsh, perhaps, to judge a film out of context like that, but it's how I feel. In addition to this Michael Caine plays- with the exception of his first appearance on screen when he actually has a crack at acting- Michael Caine. And there is a horrible Genesis song on the soundtrack. And the sight of Hoskins kicking two larger men during the closing scenes, when placed alongside two dwarves kicking one another, is reduced to farce when the tension really needs to be maintained and not relieved.
But aside from these minor quibbles, the film is good. Cathy Tyson plays a fine role, though her accent wavers occasionally this helps establish her as someone trying to conceal her origins and past. Bob Hoskins, though, is occasionally excellent as the bewildered and confused George, and always good- though some of the 'angry' scenes could be Bob in any number of his past roles and that dilutes their effectiveness.
The strained relationship between George and his daughter is too easily resolved to be plausible and the appearance of a white horse over is heavy-handed and unnecessary but the film is strong overall.
It is a good film, but patchy. Some parts are excellent, some are good and others disappointing- which is, perhaps, exactly what I expected. 7/10.
