Jack Vasen
I don't laugh out loud that often at films, but this film had me doing that several times. Yes, some of the situations were absolutely ridiculous like Marlo Thomas and Elliot Gould doing LSD.At the center of it all is Alicia Witt as Claire. Witt has to do a number of different kinds of things in this part and she manages to keep it all together pretty well. And I read that she even plays her own piano, some of which is material typically done by concert pianists. In those scenes, she does an entertaining job. But she also has to do silly, and a little crazy, and depressed, and love sick like a 13 year old. But she also does seriously dealing with the future of her life. I love Witt when she does strange faces, and she gets a couple of chances to do that here. One slight negative - this wiry redhead doesn't look or sound a bit Jewish, while most of the rest of the family is definitely so.Fierstein does a passable job as her mentor. But Thomas and Gould are totally one-dimensional and at times cliché as are the actors playing her sister and girlfriends, and for that matter her family.In craziness such as this movie, it is easy to look too closely and forget that sometimes even the cliché parents on LSD can get a laugh or two if you just let yourself enjoy it.
Amy Adler
Claire (Alicia Witt) is having one of those months. A skilled pianist, she has failed to gain acceptance into a major piano competition, causing her sorrow. Her teacher and mentor (Harvey Fierstein) is sympathetic. But, then, in short order, her boyfriend dumps her unceremoniously and an earthquake ruins her San Francisco apartment, making it necessary to move back in with the folks. Ah, the family ties that bind and choke! Mother (Marlo Thomas) is trying her hand at cooking and offering unwelcome advice to her stricken daughter. Claire's father (Elliott Gould) is a having a midlife crisis and her overachieving sister is getting set to marry a stiff-shirt dentist, in coral and bisque, no less. As Claire is seeking to pull herself out of the blues, one bright spot emerges. She meets a good-looking fish merchant (Ivan Sergei). Will her life improve? This is one zany film, with a cast of characters and a script as offbeat as they come. Witt is luminous as the gifted pianist who runs into the year from hell. Thomas and Gould are terrific as the crazy parents and the rest of the cast is very nice, especially the gorgeous and charming Sergei. With some nice costumes, scenery, and photography, the film looks good and the San Francisco setting is lovely. Even so, the script is still the big winner here, being imaginative, humorous, and surprising. If you are drawn to romantic comedies with an off-kilter charm or you get tickled watching families much crazier than your own, find this one fast. You will like what you see.
Gibb86
You really can't say that you "had fun" with a movie that often, but this movie actually has a feeling to it. She's scared to do something so she counts on others to help, and we have no idea if she gets what she wanted or not, and that's how i saw feeling with it. The acting is fun also, Alicia Witt is such a great talent I just can't believe she's not a superstar yet. I know and so do other people that there are a lot of other people that are labeled "SUPERSTARS" that really "SUPER-SUCK", and Alicia Witt is not one of them.
George Parker
Claire (Witt) is having trouble getting her concert piano career on track thanks to a semi-functional family, romantic woes, and kookie friends. "Playing Mona Lisa" is a formula sitcom quality flick full of cliche characters with just enough of a creative edge to keep me from thumbing the fast-forward button. There's little new here and nothing to get excited about. However, "Playing Mona Lisa" might be worth a look for the couch potato surfing for chick flix. (C)
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