The greatest movie ever made..!

Some things I liked some I did not.

I saw this movie before reading any reviews, and I thought it was very funny. I was very surprised to see the overwhelmingly negative reviews this film received from critics.

There's a more than satisfactory amount of boom-boom in the movie's trim running time.

Gritty and well-done, if somewhat overrated at the time of its release. The performances are explosive (the best moments of all three leads are their violent outbursts - there is a lot of bottled-up anger and frustration in this movie - and Bob Hoskins deserved his Oscar nomination), but the script is kind of monotonous. **1/2 out of 4.

Many consider this the British Taxi Driver. A bit of a simplification as it deals with a man who gets involved with the underworld of underage girls and prostitution. Mona Lisa is much more a romance set against a backdrop of criminal violence. Bob Hoskins stars in his greatest role ever. Just out of prison, he gets a job driving around a high class call girl. They develop a working relationship of trust and soon Hoskins is asked to track down a missing girl. Hoskins is so perfect in this role. You can easily see him as a gruff and mean gangster, but he adds a vulnerability which serves the romantic angle so well. He also has an endearing childlike naivety. Hoskins has great chemistry with everyone from Michael Caines villainous Mortwell, to his conversations about crime novels with Robbie Coltrane. The soundtrack is ace, with the opening and closing lyrics to Mona Lisa being all about interpretation, which this film certainly asks you to find your own. Director Neil Jordan litters scenes with which allude to fantasy stories, a white rabbit here, performing dwarfs there, etc. The dialogue is funny, the relationships emotional, and the themes disturbing. It's the full package and almost unique in its tone.

An intricate and cleverly crafted portrayal of the seedier side of 1980s London, this film shines in almost every department. Hoskins is a delight, and effortlessly carries the story and the viewer on a ride as smooth as the Jaguar he wafts around London in.So intriguing is the world Hoskins inhabits, there really doesn't need to be a twist at the end. I'd quite happily watch the awkward but well-meaning little cockney ride around all day, stumbling through one curious encounter after another.So when the rather unimaginative and lack-lustre twist comes, it's not only unnecessary but also rather deflating. This is the only thing that lets this gem of a movie down, but it is near the end and it is rather insignificant, so just enjoy the characters and polished performances.

Thoughts on Mona Lisa, 20 years later. I liked this very much when it was new back in 1986. I've seen it many times since on video. Saw it again last night for the first time in maybe 10 years and there are a few things I want to comment on. Spoilers!!!I did not remember it being so funny. It's almost a comedy. I think it had been better if it wasn't so cheerful. The ending was a bit too hopeful for Bob Hoskins. The film could have been grittier to really make a point of how terrible the conditions are for prostitutes. The film just leaves Simone at the end when it was Hoskins character who brought her to the point where she used the gun. I found it strange that she didn't flee or that Bob didn't help her. Did he ditch her because she fancied Cathy?The film really pulls the viewer into the story but it's all a little too unlikely. Simone's posh accent, Michael Caine with the white bunny rabbit, Hoskins cheerfulness... His funny friend with the garage and that Genesis tune were totally unnecessary! It all made the film superficial. It's still very entertaining, though...Sammi Davis was the best thing in it, all too briefly.