There Really Is a Mystic Pizza, and the Film Mystic Pizza Sneaks Its Way into Your Heart

Mystic Pizza - 3 Stars (Good)

What do the movies A Christmas Story, My Big Fat Greek Wedding and Mystic Pizza have in common?

They sneak their way into your heart.

All three movies were not supposed to be any big deal, and many would-be investors agreed, however, moviegoers will not let these films slide into obscurity, and My Big Fat Greek Wedding became the highest grossing independent film ever.

So why do they work when others do not?

They simply tug at your heartstrings, playing an irresistible tune of making dreams come true. Most of us dream big dreams. When we become part of another person's big dream we wish that their dream will come true even if ours does not.

We enjoy life vicariously by living the dreams of others.

Mystic Pizza is about three recent high school graduates who are waitresses in a pizza parlor that experience some personal growth during a short period of time. They learn valuable life lessons in how to overcome disappointment and adversity, and in some cases discover romance.

One wants to marry her way into money, another dreams of going to Yale but needs more money to go with her partial academic scholarship, and the dippiest of the three has a problem making a commitment to marry a guy crazy in love with her.

This is a drama of relationships which is well done, and with some comedy becomes a fun movie to watch.

Sisters Daisy (Julia Roberts) who is chasing money, and Kat (Annabeth Gish) who is headed to Yale, join their friend Jojo (Lili Taylor) who likes sex but not commitment. Two of the three recent high school graduates are a little ahead of their time (I think) as Daisy is promiscuous.

The pizza parlor is not doing well until a food critic stops by and gives it a rave review, then it becomes very popular, and the story lines of the three girls become more complicated and funny.

Mystic Pizza is a real pizza parlor in Mystic, Connecticut. Writer Amy Jones was vacationing in Mystic, saw the pizza parlor, was inspired to write the story and later co-wrote the screenplay with Perry and Randy Howze and Alfred Uhry.

The film, released in 1988, benefited from the rise of Julia Roberts with her successes in Pretty Woman (a Golden Globe Best Actress Award), Steel Magnolias (a Golden Globe Best Supporting Actress Award) and Erin Brockovich (an Oscar and a Golden Globe Best Actress Awards).

Her films have generated more than $2 billion in revenue, and she has become the highest-paid actress in the world. Roberts' net worth has been estimated at $140 million, and she still has the same great look and smile.

Mystic Pizza also marked the film debut for Matt Damon. Ben Affleck also auditioned for Damon's role. It won virtually no recognition upon release, but viewers will simply not let certain films die, and it is one of those films. It is fun to watch and becomes an affair of the heart in spite of its high jinks.

Copyright © 2007 Ed Bagley