Mystic Pizza (1988) User Reviews

2 out of 3 ain't bad

[herbqedi · 7/10 · 5 July 2002]

Mystic Pizza is a pleasant-but-slow slice-of-life comedy-drama. It centers on the lives of 3 young waitresses in a Pizza Parlor in blue-collar Mystic, CT. The parlor's owner is a hard-scrabble-with-heart-of-gold Portuguese "princess" buoyantly portrayed by Conchata Farrell. She makes the scene where the food critic tastes her pizza the most memorable in the movie.

As for the girls, two of the three stories work well. Lili Taylor is a revelation as the fun-loving JoJo coming to terms with the cliche her life is and how to come to terms with the love she feels for stalwart-but-limited Bill, winningly portrayed by Vincent D'Onofrio (now of Law and Order: CI). These two light up the screen with humor and awkward aplomb. Julia Roberts puts her raw-but-winning talent on display as the blue-collar Daisy, a student-teacher in the school of hard-knocks.

The one unfortunate element is that the movie spends far too much time on a nowhere relationship between Annibelle Gish and preppy husband-away-from his wife portrayed by the affable but feckless William R. (aka Billy) Moses. This story just makes the movie drag.

But overall, Mystic Pizza is a kind of young-woman-oriented Diner, amiable, fun, and chock-full of young talent.

Julia Roberts at her best!

[PredragReviews · 7/10 · 5 May 2016]

This "sleeper" hit looks just as good today as it did when it was first released. It follows the trials and tribulations of three childhood friends. They all work as waitresses in a pizza parlor and all are at a crossroad in their life. Kat (Annabeth Gish) is preparing to leave home for Yale to begin a career in Astronomy. Daisey (Julia Roberts) Kat's sister, seems to be floundering, with no real direction to go in life, and JoJo (Lili Taylor, who gives the film's most comedic performance), is torn between her love for her fiancé Bill, and settling down into a married life filled with screaming kids and massive weight gain.

The film integrates all three stories and keeps the plot moving at a brisk pace. All three friends have very different personalities, allowing most of the audience to be able to identify with at least one of them. I will admit, however, that the ultra idealistic, goodie-goodie Kat does get on my nerves from time to time. (I particularly enjoyed the scene where Daisey hauls off and belts her across the face). The chemistry between the leads works extremely well which only strengthens the movie. Roberts gives a strong performance and shows the audience the first signs of the Hollywood powerhouse she would soon become. The three leads are admirabley backed up by a strong supporting cast as well, most notably, Conchata Ferrell as the owner of the pizza parlor. All in all, a very sweet movie about real people and real family situations, and it remains one of my favorite movies of all time. I literally never tire of this modern classic. My only quibble is that the last spoken line is disturbingly unimaginative and anti-climactic. After crafting such a superb screenplay, the writers just seemed to run out of inspiration at the last hurdle. As Mr. Spock would say, "Fascinating."

Overall rating: 7 out of 10.

Early Film For Young Ensemble Cast Charms

[CitizenCaine · 6/10 · 26 April 2004]

This sleeper hit from the Fall of 1988 has real charm. The film is about three girls that are becoming young women; two of them are sisters. Lili Taylor plays a girl that wants sex, but can't commit to marriage. Now there's a twist. Annabeth Gish and Julia Roberts, in an early important role for her, are the sisters. Gish has an idealized romance in her head regarding the 30 year old Yale graduate she babysits for, whose wife is conveniently in Europe. Does it make an affair seem more acceptable when the wife is further away? Roberts plays a girl, like she did in her first credited film Satisfaction, who uses her body to get what she wants. The girls are all fine; however, Gish's scenario is less interesting than the other two and is somewhat clichéd. Vincent D'Onofrio is good in his few scenes as Taylor's would be husband. William R. Moses and Adam Storke are less compelling as the male interests of Gish and Roberts respectively. The film's strengths are its ability to portray the charms of small town life, and being set in a pizzeria operated by Conchata Ferrell with the girls sharing their hopes and dreams. There are several scenes that are funny and genuine, such as D'Onofrio being chased by Taylor's father one night, Roberts scene with Storke when she miscalculates who he is with, and the visit by the gourmet reviewer to the pizzeria. The film is pretty much formulaic with a few ironic twists in the female characters, and this is certainly inferior to other films of the coming of age, gal pal genre, but it has its own charm, entertains us, and is interesting enough for the early appearances of its young stars alone. Also, look fast for Matt Damon in his film debut. **1/2 of 4 stars.

A charming and convincing coming-of-age story of three young women.

[FRAJM · 30 August 1998]

_Mystic Pizza_ would be remembered, if for no other reason, as the film that first made us pay attention to Julia Roberts. It also showcases the early talents of several other actors who later rose to some success and fame in the movies: Lili Taylor and Vincent Phillip D'Onofrio among them. Others in the cast have perhaps deserved better in their careers than they achieved, especially Annabeth Gish, but here they shine fresh and alive.Actually, the entire ensemble cast, including the minor parts, is excellent -- natural, unaffected, convincing performances.

The story concentrates on three young women on the cusp of new lives -- marriage, college, responsibility -- and tracks them through that special summer between the childhood and adulthood. I think it was more unusual in 1988 to show female friendships and a female point of view than has perhaps become ten years later. The women are smart and individualized, surprising and interesting as people.

The men are less so. D'Onofrio has the most fully realized male character, the young fisherman who wants commitment, who wants to be more to his girl than just a sexual aid. The other two men, one a preppie in rebellion and the other a middle-aged married man looking for something he left behind, are mostly just occasions for the women to find some new grounding and growth.

I am also very fond of this film for its insistence on finding one's way in the world by first finding out what is right thing to do, the right way to live.

What's the secret ingredient in the pizza?

[jotix100 · 7/10 · 9 January 2006]

Pizza, that delicious Italian dish has been adapted by people all over the world into their own way to express their interpretation about the way it should taste. It's not surprising that in Mystic, Ct., where there's a large Portuguese population, Leona, the owner of the Mystic Pizza restaurant has created a concoction that is admired by everyone. Don't ask her to reveal her ingredients because she will not tell you.

Daniel Petrie, the director, takes us along for a ride to this coastal town in which Amy Jones' story is set. We meet the three friends that work in the restaurant, Jojo, Daisy and Kat; the last two are sisters. Jojo is intense, but has a problem accepting the fact that Bill, her fiancé, wants to formalize their engagement. In the opening scenes we watch as Jojo faints in the church where she is marrying Bill. Panic strikes and she jilts him.

Daisy, is a beautiful girl who appears to be grounded. When Charlie, the preppy guy finds her at a local bar, it seems he is quite taken by her. Daisy, who should have known better embarks in a love affair with this young which one realizes is doomed from the start. Not only are they from two different worlds, but romances like these are just a passing fancy for wealthy boys. So is the involvement with the wise and intelligent Kat with Tim, the young father with a child who needs a sitter. Kat will be hurt in thinking Tim will want her over the absent wife.

"Mystic Pizza" is about the friendship of the three local girls and their way of looking at life from different angles. Annabeth Gish makes a great appearance in the film with her Kat. Lili Taylor is also good as Jojo. This was a film that presented Julia Roberts that hinted at her success as a movie actress. The rest of the cast plays well in the film. Vincent D'Onofrio, William Moses, Adam Storker and Conchata Farrell do good work under Mr. Petrie's direction. Seen in a small role that if one blinks, one would miss him, is Matt Damon making his first screen appearance.

"To new moons, dark skies, and comets."

[classicsoncall · 7/10 · 28 February 2017]

Though it's teased throughout the movie, you're not going to find out what Leona's (Cochatta Ferrell) secret pizza recipe calls for. You'll have to wait till she retires to see if one of the girls spills the beans.

This is a lighthearted fluff of a film with some present-day well known players who got an early start on stardom here, Julia Roberts and Vincent D'Onofrio chief among them. If you stay attentive during the Windsor Family dinner party, you'll even catch Matt Damon in his very first movie appearance with a single line trying to give away his 'green stuff'. No, it's not money, you'll have to catch the picture to find out.

Most of the characters here are pretty much stereotypes of those you'd find in any romantic comedy/drama, given some added appeal via the scenic backdrop of Mystic, Connecticut. So intrigued was I with the mysterious name of the Eastern seaport that I made a day trip out there once. Besides checking out Mystic Pizza if you go, you really should visit the Mystic Seaport Museum of America and the Sea - it's got blue lobsters!

Enjoyable

[gavin6942 · 7/10 · 27 May 2016]

Three teenage girls come of age while working at a pizza parlor in the Connecticut town of Mystic.

In his film debut, Matt Damon has a very small part—his sole line in the film being, "Mom, do you want my green stuff?" You really have to look for him. Heck, everyone in the picture in young, even Vincent D'Onofrio.

Although this is the film that launched Julia Roberts' career, what really stands out for me is Lili Taylor. She had such a great run in the late 80s to mid-90s, maybe a little longer. What happened? Of course, she is still around today (2016), but she seemed to be in a non-stop string of brilliant roles for a while, really redefining what it means to be an actress.

3 girls find love and romance in a small town

[helpless_dancer · 7/10 · 7 June 1999]

A pizza joint is the setting for much of this film. The 3 waitresses working there are in and out of love and lust all the time, causing themselves a lot of grief. So-so romantic comedy.

One of my favorites

[grumpy_otter · 10/10 · 14 July 2004]

What makes this movie so very charming is the incredible ensemble acting. Watch Vincent D'Onofrio in an early role, as well as Julia Roberts. Annabeth Gish is completely enchanting as Kat, and William R. Moses very believable as the flirting husband. Most wonderful, however, is Lili Taylor as JoJo. Sometimes known as the queen of B movies (I think that was Ebert's title), here she shows the range and talent that indicate she deserves superstardom.

Unlike the misleading re-release that features Julia's face prominently, this is NOT a star vehicle, but depends on the interaction of all the players. A wonderful coming-of-age film that has been one of my favorites for 15 years.

An enjoyable and funny coming of age story with a good message

[knowyourmovie · 7/10 · 6 August 2012]

"There are forty kinds of lunacy but only one kind of common sense" - a proverb says. It appears that, similarly to modern politics, today's cinema tends to be polluted by aberrations of a certain kind - the aggressive, pervasive, and loud extremes representing a nasty insult to the common sense. Moreover, the once distinct line between the mainstream and the extreme appears to have blurred. Many mainstream movies can now be considered to be extreme in a certain sense while independent movies have grown so numerous, popular, well-organized, and influential that they managed to successfully form their own local "mainstream".

On one end of the specter reside many of the popular mainstream movies. Being predominately designed for the viewers with the mental capacity of a twelve year old and the moral awareness of Pinocchio before he became a boy, these are intellectual disasters and moral failures also lacking logic, vision, imagination, authenticity, good taste and all the remaining qualities of a decent movie.

On the other end, often obscure, pretentious, artificial, abstract, and whimsical, independent movies nowadays can be just as unsubstantial and inauthentic as most mainstream movies are.

"Mystic pizza" - not a perfect movie by any means - comes across as naturally enjoyable, funny, emotional, and captivating precisely because it deals with the real life issues familiar to most people. It resides in the real world on planet Earth and not in one of the superficial, artificially enhanced imaginary universes that serve homes to so many movies, both mainstream and independent.

Secondly, "Mystic pizza" is a rare case of a movie that offers a good message without being forceful, contentious, or didactic. Just by telling its simple but touching and engaging coming of age story of three likable girls with all the challenges that they face, choices that they make, and mistakes that they learn on, "Mystic pizza" manages to unobtrusively deliver a few simple life truths that appear to be easily discounted and overlooked by both mainstream and independent cinema.

I think it never hurts to be reminded of such timeless truths as "true love is inseparable from honesty, commitment, and sacrifice", "an affair is morally wrong, painful, and destructive", or "hard work brings you dignity that money cannot buy".

The three blue-collar girls from a small New England town of Mystic – genuine, hardworking, responsible, caring, strong and independent but overall respectful to their parents could serve as a positive role model for many modern teens.

Unfortunately, the girls from the movie also represent a stark contrast to the ever-increasing number of self-obsessed, lazy, spoiled, irresponsible, immature young adults, who appear to be unprepared for the real world challenges and somehow end up being both hopelessly dependent on their parents and disrespectful to them at the same time.

In 1989, "Mystic pizza" earned a well-deserved Independent Spirit award for the Best First Feature. The movie still remains among the best works of its writer Amy Holden Jones and its director Donald Petrie who have both gone mainstream since then.

Amy Holden Jones is now mostly known for the "Beethoven" franchise, whereas Donald Petrie seems to have been recently focusing on the quite lightweight, purely entertaining formulaic comedies like "Miss Congeniality", "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days", or "My Life in Ruins".

In addition to the good story and the solid directing, "Mystic pizza" offers almost perfect casting and generally strong acting, both ensemble and individual. The movie happens to be one of the first full-length features with Julia Roberts (Daisy Arujo). Right from the beginning, it becomes clear that Ms. Roberts has a remarkable talent – something that she successfully proved in many movies that followed.

Annabeth Gish and Lili Taylor were charming and convincing in the roles of the two other teen girls - Kat Arujo and Jojo. Vincent D'Onofrio delivered a strong supporting performance as Jojo's fiancé Bill - a simple (but not an ordinary) fisherman. Adam Storke was able to find all the right accents for the role of the carefree and easygoing rich kid Charles Gordon Windsor, Jr., Daisy's love interest. Joanna Merlin was perfect in a small role of Mrs. Arujo - Kat's and Daisy's wise hardworking mother.

Despite being rated "R" (mostly because of some language and sensuality), "Mystic pizza" seems to feature less questionable or offensive content than many of the more recent "PG-13" movies.

It is a good chick-flick and a good date movie. It is also one of those movies that might be worth watching together with your high school age kids as a good illustration to the difficult choices that they will soon (or might already) be facing, conflicting feelings that they will soon (or might already) be experiencing, and hard decisions that they will soon (or might already) be making.

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Laughably phony...

[moonspinner55 · 4/10 · 28 November 2009]

Tired, cutesy-poo romantic comedy-drama concerning the love lives of three young Connecticut women who work in a homey little pizza parlor. "Mystic Pizza" begins with a shot of fabricated group photos featuring the central characters in happy times, the faces of the actresses clearly cut out and pasted on other bodies. It's an immediate sign that not much know-how, cleverness, or talent was used in conceptualizing this picture, which is strictly an underachiever lucky enough to gain attention after Julia Roberts' career picked up. Young, impressionable girls might find something emotionally tangible here, but seasoned moviegoers should quickly detect the artificial flavoring. Amy Holden Jones co-wrote the screenplay (based on her original story) with help from Alfred Uhry and Perry and Randy Howze, all of whom seemed to have been raised on TV. *1/2 from ****

Better than the IMDb rating would suggest

[yajji · 8/10 · 26 June 2014]

I have always thought Mystic Pizza was a very good, light hearted film. It's extremely well acted, the script is solid and witty, the cinematography is just heavenly (those Autumn colours are sensational!), and the story itself is heart warning and poignant. There comes a time in every young person's life when they have to figure out which direction they want to head, how they are going to get there and whether or not they will stay in the environment that reared them or branch out, beginning a new life. However, despite the uncertainty that plagues teens and twenty-somethings, there is one universal bond that will seal all cracks and that is friendship, which is the core of Mystic Pizza.

This unbreakable duo of friends consists of a then unknown, yet incredibly very striking Julia Roberts. She gives a bright, charismatic performance as the wayward and confused Daisy. Her care free nature is a strong contrast to the level headed, smart and introverted Kat, played by the absolutely gorgeous Annabeth Gish. Last, but certainly not least, is the tempestuous and indecisive Jojo. There's also the men in their lives, the handsome upper-class WASP Charles, who is a little bit of a snob, the unavailable dad Tim (William R. Moses) who has his wandering eyes set on the sensitive, intellectual Kat and Bill (Vincent D'Onofrio), the long suffering husband-to-be of Jojo. The wonderful thing about this film is it never judges its female characters for their promiscuity, nor does it reduce them to crowd-appeasing stereotypes when it depicts their uncertainty or reluctance in picking a "suitable" partner, nor does it imply that they really need one. See the resolution of Kat's brief fling with the father of the girl she babysits. They don't run off, living happily ever after, and Kat, clearly changed by the event, doesn't fall into the lap of the next man who shows her attention. Genre clichés are nicely avoided and what's important here, ultimately, is friendship not love or a man.

Mystic Pizza is definitely one of the better coming-of-age, small town friendship films, worthy of a lot more than the fairly dismal 6.1/10 rating it currently has.

Decent If Not Fantastic

[bigverybadtom · 7/10 · 13 October 2017]

In the small coastal town of Mystic, Connecticut, there is the title pizzeria run by an elder Portuguese couple with three young women as waitresses, two sisters who don't get along and their friend. The pizza served at the establishment is known to have a secret recipe which makes it especially wonderful, as a food critic in the story points out.

The elder sister is set to go to Yale on a partial scholarship, while the younger one is less responsible and meets a young man from a rich family, hoping he might provide a means for her to leave her small town life. Their friend was set to marry her fiancé, but she fails to go through with it despite the fact the she still wants him. The sisters find romance, but said relationships do not go smoothly.

Rather overlong and predictable, though the movie is notable for Matt Damon's first (minor) movie role and one of Julia Roberts' early starring roles.

In a word, shallow.

[e-jane · 1/10 · 7 May 1999]

1) Imagine every woeful teen stereotype that has ever been conceived. 2) Throw in a wide crop of underdeveloped characters and undermine them even more by unremarkable performances by a normally talented bunch. 3) Add a predictable plot, complete with requisite cheesy female-bonding scenes. 4) Remove kitsch hipness that made John Hughes flicks cult classics.

And voila! The recipe for Mystic Pizza.

one of the minor defining movies of my generation

[Rachel-20 · 16 November 2002]

This was one of THE slumber party movies when I was in high school, and fourteen years later I still enjoy it. Of course now I realize what a jerk the married man is from the first time he looks THAT WAY at Kat, and I'm a little surprised (although I married young myself) to see young marriage portrayed positively in a major motion picture. It's also refreshing to see Julia Roberts before she acquired the required Hollywood Superstar Anorexic Look.

Some of the scenes that make me laugh as much now as they did when I was 15: The Porsche full of fish, and JoJo's parents' and boyfriend's reaction when JoJo and Bill are caught in a compromising position. This film has some very tender moments as well. A warning, however: the last line will probably make you groan.

It's not terribly deep, and it's not going to win the Palme D'Or. But it's well worth putting in the VCR on a quiet evening when your husband's out or your girlfriends are over.

Julia's big break

[Smells_Like_Cheese · 6/10 · 17 September 2007]

The funny thing is that I'm a girl and it's rare that I like a chick flick, I've found a few that I really like and some that I'm cool with. Mystic Pizza I'm cool with, just the fact that there's nothing wrong with the film. It's Julia's big break in films, that big hair, that dazzling smile, I think people knew she was going to be big. I started watching Mystic Pizza with my mom a while back when it was on TV, but we never finished it, I have to admit, it kept my attention. So I rented it the other day and just watched it a few minutes ago. It was a very cute film and a charming story for girls who know that it's time to grow up. I think the reason I enjoyed this film is that right now I can relate to these girls when they know they're going through major changes in their lives that they have to accept and go with. The story is one that I think most girls can relate too.

Kat, Daisy, and Jojo are three girls who have grown up together and work together at Mystic Pizza. Jojo is afraid of marrying her long time boyfriend. Kat is having romantic fantasies of the married man who's daughter she is babysitting. Daisy is having a wild romance with the money of the States, Charles. Together they face the hard times of having to grow up and face the world. But they know that if they stick together, they can make it through the tough times.

Mystic Pizza is a decent movie really. There's nothing wrong with it, there are some funny moments and some one's that make you shed a tear, it's a chick flick, what can you do? But I would recommend it for a good flick, so far this is actually the only Julia Roberts flick that I have really enjoyed so far. But I think I loved Lili Tyler's character the most, she was so cute and funny. I loved it when her parents walked in on her and her boyfriend, it's such a situation that most can relate too. So go and give this a look, it's a good movie.

7/10

The Girls did good work

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 14 September 2013]

Sisters Kat (Annabeth Gish) and Daisy (Julia Roberts) work with friend Jojo (Lili Taylor) at a local pizza place in Mystic, Connecticut. Kat is drawn to the father of the girl she is babysitting while his wife is away. Daisy falls for a rich guy who was slumming it one day at the pizza joint. Jojo passes out at her wedding, and is having second thoughts about her commitment to Bill (Vincent D'Onofrio).

The girls are all great at their roles. The guys are somewhat flat. The stories are pretty traditional to have a good cry over. Although I liked that Daisy's guy didn't do the rich snob douche move.

The atmosphere and friendship between all of them makes MysticPizza a fun movie.

[macpherr · 6/10 · 31 May 1999]

Directed by Donald Petrie (Grumpy Old Men, The Favor) this is a story that portrays a minority group, as normal people. I got the tape because of Julia Roberts, and to my surprise there was this wedding with this man singing in Portuguese. I went like what!!! I understand this: Oh, this is Portuguese! What a pleasant surprise! The Luso-Portuguese is nice and Lili Taylor (Born on the Fourth of July), Jojo, singing a lullaby to a child is just a sweet moment. It is true that there is a large population of Portuguese fishermen in that part of the US. Three Portuguese/ American girls work in this pizzeria in Mystic, Connecticut. Annabeth Gish (Beautiful Girls, Nixon) is Kat the intelligent sister who is going to Yale who also babysits. Jojo, who is my favorite character, and Daisey, Julia Roberts (Notting Hill, Something to Talk About, Pretty Woman). Vincent D'Onofrio (Men in Black) Bill, is Jojo's fiancé. Jojo runs from the altar because she is afraid of commitment. Jojo's thinks like the average man. She loves him but does not want to loose her identity. They have a great sex life and Bill says that Jojo is only after his body. Sounds just like a girl talking!

They all work for Conchata Ferrell (L.A. Law, My Fellow Americans) who is the pizzeria owner, and has this secret mix for the pizza. The girls are like her daughters since she has no kids. Kat so smart, unfortunately ends up having an affair with a married man William R. Moses ("Falcon Crest"), Tim and cries her eye ball's out. Girl, what did you expect! Daisy falls for a rich law student. Jojo ends up marrying Bill. Favorite scenes: Jojo singing the lullaby, Daisey filling up her boy friend's car with fish and junk. The little delivery pizzeria car is a painted ex US Mail - truck, which is adorable! The food critic, and the dentures in the glass of water. The atmosphere and friendship between all of them makes Mystic Pizza a fun movie. This is not a super - intellectual type of movie, but a nice story about three young women. I have the tape and enjoy watching it. It is just fun!

Cute

[Calicodreamin · 7/10 · 19 January 2021]

A cute fluff movie following around three girls that work at a pizza parlors as they experience different phases of love. Decent acting and the girls have great chemistry together, it felt authentic.

One of the best "chick flicks"

[preppy-3 · 8/10 · 25 March 2004]

Movie about three young waitresses who work at Mystic Pizza in Mystic CT. Good girl Kat (Annabeth Gish)is going to college and falls in love with a married man (William Moses). Her sister, bad girl Daisy (Julia Roberts), falls in love with rich kid Charles (Adam Storke). And Jojo (Lili Taylor) is deeply in love with Bill (Vincent D'Onorfrio) but is afraid to marry him...which he wants.

Pretty predictable but still lots of fun. This was released with no fanfare in 1988 (Roberts was still unknown and there were no 'name' actors in the cast) and went on to become a surprise hit. That shouldn't be a shock--this is the type of movie that isn't really challenging or deep. You know the characters, you know the situations and you know it's going to have a happy ending. Still, there's nothing wrong with a film like that if it's entertaining and well-done--and this one is.

The script is lively and it was beautifully shot on location in CT (in Mystic and other towns). Gish is just great (and top-billed) in the movie. She was also 17 (the age of her character too) so it adds to the realism. Taylor is good but has little to do. Her character is very one note and ALWAYS yapping about commitment. Roberts is good but her character is TERRIBLE! Foul-mouthed, obnoxious and grating--her verbal abuse of her sister Kat is more than vicious. I really hated her! Nevertheless, this movie jump started her career. D'Onorfrio (a wonderful character actor) is given nothing to do but look handsome and hunky--which he does. Storke is VERY good-looking and gives a great performance as a rich kid--what ever happened to him? And Moses is just OK as a married man. Add Conchata Ferrell as the pizza store owner and Matt Damon in a one line role in his film debut.

A real nice, pleasing little movie. Perfectly catches the small town feeling too. Worth seeing. But don't let Roberts' face on the box fool you--it's NOT her movie.

Won't be on movies for guys who like movies

[mm-39 · 7/10 · 14 May 2004]

Won't be on movies for guys who like movies! The antithesis for Magnum Froce. No Client Eastwood or Hal Halbrook in this film. Hey no one even gets killed. Saw this at my sisters former boyfriend house. Did not mind it either, than I saw it again years later, with by wife, on late night. My wife like this film, and I found it aged well. The acting is alright, but its the story that keeps, this action movie junkie, interested. The story reminds me of a few of the interesting conversation I would have with my female friends at the university. Funny how a jucie story can transend gender, age and other demographics. The end is a bit sappy, but it had too have a downer ending that would have killed this movie. I wish they had a litte more about the Pizza. Funny, right about this movie makes me want to order one. I give this film 7 pizza's out of 10, if it is 2 for 1 then 14 out of 20. Mike

Pizzia is not the only thing getting hot and sticky.

[michaelRokeefe · 5/10 · 4 December 2000]

Coming of age or just hot to trot; three young girls working at the Mystic Pizza Shop each have particular problems with the men in their lives. Julia Roberts makes her first real noticable appearance on the big screen. She is in love with a guy that may think he is too good for her. Lili Taylor uses sex as her own version of self therapy. And Annabeth Gish has the quivers for a married man with a six year old daughter.

Gish does the best acting in the whole movie. I have always found her tempting and appealing. Also in the cast are Conchata Ferrell, William Moses and Vincent D'Onofrio.

Note: There is a small part for Matt Damon, his first on the silver screen.

Nice Romantic Comedy

[tgjenn · 8/10 · 7 September 2000]

I first saw this movie when I was 17 and enjoyed it; more than 10 years later I still do. It does have some predictability to it, particularly in the relationship between Kat and the Yale alumnus. However, there are also some priceless scenes --- one of my favorites is how Jojo's parents react when they catch her and Bill in a "compromising" pose in the dining room. I thought the acting was well done, especially from Julia Roberts and Conchatta Ferrell.

Mystic Pizza

[jboothmillard · 6/10 · 27 June 2009]

I should say that I remember the title, I remember the most well known actress of the film, and I am pretty sure I watched it all the way through, but I can't remember that much of what happens in it, from director Donald Petrie (Miss Congeniality). Basically the Arujo sisters, Kat (Annabeth Gish) and Daisy (Julia Roberts), and best friend Jojo (Lili Taylor) all live out their lives in Mystic, Connecticut, where they also work at the pizza parlour. Kat is off to Yale and falling for a man she babysits for, Daisy is a tearaway wasting her time with the wrong men, Jojo leaves the man she was to marry at the altar not wanting commitment, and the pizza is gaining fame for containing a special something. Also starring Vincent D'Onofrio as Bill, William R. Moses as Tim Travers, Adam Storke as Charles Gordon Windsor, Jr., Conchata Ferrell as Leona, Porscha Radcliffe as Phoebe Travers, Joanna Merlin as Mrs. Arujo, Arthur Walsh as Manny, John Fiore as Jake and Gene Amoroso as Mr. Barboza. I can't really give a better opinion or review until I see it again, but I am happy with what I have for now. Good!

This pizza tastes more like cardboard

[MartianOctocretr5 · 3/10 · 30 August 2009]

The cornball cutesie-cutesie title is the least of this film's problems. It's another coming-of-age story, where teens have romantic encounters, and learn about harsh realities of life because everything goes wrong in those encounters. That can be a good or bad formula, depending on what the writer and director do with it. This "Pizza" is cooked up with cardboard cutouts; consequently ending up as hard to swallow as cardboard.

The plot is utterly predictable, and slammed down your throat with about as much subtlety in its approach as the coming-of-age of an atomic bomb. And what a bomb this is. The film tries to be a romantic comedy in spots with awkward exaggeration; this also fails. The only saving grace of this movie is the always dependable Annabeth Gish. But she is surrounded by unbelievably bad co-stars. Julia Roberts is; well, Julia Roberts, and that is not a good thing (to be fair, she does appear to at least be trying). The overacting guys that run in and out are inept and annoying. The person playing the third waitress apparently was never heard from again. The film ends nowhere, pretty much where it started.

Where do they get the gimmicky so-deep-and-clever title? To rope in box office dollars of course--in the story, a pizza parlor. And a town. Are they kidding? Ugh.

There's nothing mystic about it. Mystic Pizza tastes bland and stale.