Mona Lisa Smile" is a 2003 American drama film set in the 1950s, directed by Mike Newell and starring Julia Roberts. The story is about Katherine Ann Watson (played by Roberts), a free-spirited and progressive-minded art history teacher from California who is hired to teach at Wellesley College, a conservative and prestigious women's college in Massachusetts.

Watson's unconventional teaching methods and her encouragement of her female students to think for themselves and challenge traditional gender roles quickly clash with the conservative values of the school and its faculty. She also clashes with some of her students who are more concerned with fitting into society's expectations of women than pursuing their own dreams and ambitions.

One of Watson's students, Betty Warren, is particularly resistant to her teachings and openly challenges her in class. However, as the school year progresses, Watson begins to make a positive impact on her students, including Betty, who begins to question her own beliefs and aspirations.

Throughout the film, Watson also develops a close relationship with one of her colleagues, a free-spirited art history teacher named Bill Dunbar. Despite their mutual attraction, they struggle with the societal expectations of their relationship, as Bill is already married and has a child.

In the end, Watson's teachings and her encouragement of her students to think independently and pursue their own passions have a lasting impact, as many of her students go on to pursue careers and lifestyles that challenge traditional gender roles and societal expectations.

Overall, "Mona Lisa Smile" explores themes of gender roles, conformity, and the importance of education and individuality. It highlights the struggles and triumphs of women in the 1950s, while also showcasing the power of female empowerment and the importance of following one's dreams.