Golden Globe winner Bob Hoskins stars as George, a street-level London gangster out of work after a long prison stretch, who's assigned to drive a high-class prostitute named Simone (Cathy Tyson) in Neil Jordan's tough and tender 1986 drama. The pair clash immediately—the chasm between their respective worlds is huge (he acts like he's at the local pub as he chaperones her around the cultured environs of her clients)—but they manage to connect over time, and he even falls in love with her. Unfortunately, Simone's affections lie elsewhere, and George's chivalry winds up being misplaced when he enters a criminal realm ruled by manipulative mob boss Mortwell (Michael Caine, coldly cruel under his oily charisma). Mona Lisa is the first film in what Jordan later described as a trilogy of “impossible love” stories (the others are 1991's The Miracle and 1992's The Crying Game); but the theme is secondary to Jordan's compelling portrait of London crime—from the penthouses to the mean streets—coupled with his compassion for his characters. George may be rough hewn, but he's a good bloke at heart—desperate to know his estranged daughter, who grew up while he was in prison—and his odyssey through the underworld to find a lost girlfriend of Simone's is partly driven by his paternal instincts. Making a fine debut on Blu-ray, this is recommended. (S. Axmaker)
[Blu-ray Review—Sept. 29, 2021—Criterion, 104 min., R, Blu-ray: $39.95—Making its second appearance on Blu-ray, Mona Lisa (1986) boasts a much-improved image thanks to a 2K digital restoration. Extras include a 1997 audio commentary featuring director Neil Jordan and actor Bob Hoskins, a new conversation with Jordan and actor Cathy Tyson (moderated by critic Ryan Gilbey), an interview with Jordan and Hoskins from the 1986 Cannes Film Festival, interviews from 2015 with screenwriter David Leland and producer Stephen Woolley, and a booklet with an essay by Gilbey. Bottom line: Jordan’s fine character drama looks sharp in this Criterion edition.]