“Mystic Pizza” is a simple, yet compelling story that takes place in a small town. The movie focuses on the life of three young women who work in a pizzeria. Julia Roberts stars as Daisy who dreams of marrying into a luxurious lifestyle, while her sister Kat, played by Annabeth Gish is the more studious and dreams of going to Yale. Lili Taylor stars as JoJo, who likes the company of a man, but seems to have a commitment phobia.
Leona, played by Conchata Ferrell, owns the busy small town pizza place. She forms a close bond with each of the girls as she sees their lives evolve. She has a legendary secret pizza recipe and is, both hopeful and anxious, when a pompous food critic is rumored to be coming to her restaurant. The critic’s reaction to the secret recipe is a key point in the movie.
The characters are believable. They each go outside their box, with some disappointments along the way, but dreams also come to life in their own way. Through it all, they form an even closer bond.
This is an older feel-good movie from 1988, with great acting and definitely worth seeing.