‘MYSTIC PIZZA’: ONE OF THE NOSTALGIC MOVIES ABOUT SISTER LOVE

---

Watching the movies I didn’t see when they were cool (or if they happen to release before I could see them), is something I’ve begun to do. Among the many others I’ve finally watched is Mystic Pizza, a kind of unusual, but mostly warm dramedy about sisters.

Mystic Pizza (1988) Film Review

Working in their small-town Connecticut pizza parlor is the norm for Daisy Arujo (Julia Roberts), but it’s not what she wants for her entire life. Put down as the wild, less smart sister, she’s never quite the “good girl” that younger sister Kat (Annabeth Gish) is. One of the smart, good ones planning to go to Yale, Kat also works at Mystic Pizza and to earn extra money, she takes a babysitting job. Trouble is, Kat ends up finding her very unavailable employer, Tim (William R. Moses) more than a little interesting.

Also having troubles of her own is the sister’s good friend, Jojo (Lily Taylor). After fainting during her I do’s to her good but happy-where-he-is fiancé Bill (Vincent D’Onofrio), Jojo and Bill struggle to communicate about what their future is. Meanwhile Daisy becomes entangled with a wealthy family in unexpected ways.

FILM REVIEW | ‘FOOLS RUSH IN’: A FUN PIECE OF 90s MOVIE NOSTALGIA

‘MYSTIC PIZZA’: ONE OF THE NOSTALGIC MOVIES ABOUT SISTER LOVE #GOODMOVIES #FEELGOODMOVIES #JULIAROBERTS #VINTAGEMOVIES Share on X

This is one of those nostalgic kinds of movies that is good, just not perfect. It has lots of profanity (if that’s something that bothers you) but also has a warm affect that is hard to ignore. It’s another of those accurate portrayals of sisters and best (girl) friends that’s somethings tough to watch, but ultimately true. It also opens a softer side of the relationship and leads the viewer to believe, they’ll triumph despite their differences.

Julia Roberts is, as usual, the film darling we came to know in this, what is described as her breakout role. She does a wonderful job with the character, and the rest of the cast is quite impressive as well. It’s fun to see Annabeth Gish in one of her earliest roles. If you don’t mine dramedies that are a bit saltier, then you’re likely to enjoy Mystic Pizza.

Photos: Samuel Goldwyn Company

---

Content: there are 4-6 f words along with other more minor commonplace profanities. Sex is implied more than once; a couple comes out of a bathroom, we see someone unbutton a shirt before the scene cuts away and a women undresses to a shirt where the couple starts to kiss, that scene then also cuts to a “post” scene of them under the sheets. A woman tries to entice a man to have sex and stay by unbuttoning his pants. There are crude sexual references to anatomy, etc. The film rating is R.