MONA Lisa Smile has not been described as a female Dead Poets Society without good reason. The film is set in a stuffy boarding school in New England in the 1950s.

Its central character is from outside the establishment and her "modern" teaching methods are frowned upon by the the old guard. And there is an ensemble of young students just waiting to be inspired by their new teacher.

But instead of the testosterone-fuelled young bucks from the Robin Williams movie, we get a bunch of sassy teenage girls being groomed for marriage and motherhood.

And this is where new art teacher Katherine Watson (Roberts) comes in.

The Californian is bursting with ideas and enthusiasm for her new position and encourages her students to be free thinkers, striving to achieve great things in a changing America that gives women more opportunities than ever before.

But the job provides Katherine with a greater and more different sort of challenge than she expected. Although the girls may hint at career aspirations, it soon becomes clear the business of Wellesley College is preparing its young women for lives of cooking, cleaning and becoming dutiful wives.

It is the young stars of Mona Lisa Smile Dunst, Stiles and Gyllenhaal in particular who give the film its spark.

And the film has a great sense of period the costumes look fabulous and the location reeks of affluent, upper class America.

But it is let down by a weak central character. While director Mike Newell does well not to let Roberts dominate proceedings too much giving the younger performers a chance to shine the role lacks the strength of character and inspiration that is demanded.

The script also gets bogged down with too many side issues, mostly involving Katherine's love life her boyfriend in California, a dashing young teacher who may not be quite what it seems and the film's focus becomes blurred as a result.

At least the outcome is not as predictable as one might think, but Newell does pander to Hollywood demands and provides us with a Dead Poets Society-style tear-jerking finale.

OUT! rating: 6 out of 10

Film writer Stephen Webb reviews MONA LISA SMILE

Starring: Julia Roberts, Kirsten Dunst, Julia Stiles, Maggie Gyllenhaal

Director: Mike Newell

Certificate: 12a

Running time: 119 mins

Showing from today at: Cineworld, Swindon