Pleasantville

Starring: Tobey Maguire, Reese Witherspoon, William H. Macy, Joan Allen, Jeff Daniels, J.T. Walsh, Don Knotts Marley Shelton, Jane Kaczmarek, Paul Walker
Directed by: Gary Ross
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Drama, Comedy
1998

Times Seen:
Tim: 2

Summary: Two teenagers (Tobey Maguire, Reese Witherspoon) find themselves transported into a 1950s sitcom. Their actions soon begin to change the idyllic world they inhabit.

Review:

Tim: Pleasantville is an interesting movie- as you watch it, it certainly seems like a good movie. And the longer it goes on, you realize that it's dug into you almost imperceptibly, so by the end of the film, you look up and realize it's a better movie than you expected all along. I had a very similar experience both times I watched the film. It offers an entertaining, thought-provoking viewing experience. Upon reflection, you kind of ask yourself if the movie was really as good as you remember. The answer is yes.

One of the most appealing aspects of writer/director Gary Ross' script is that the two main characters are transported into a television show. How many people at some point in your life (usually when you were young, but no judgment) wanted to be whisked away to join one of their favorite television series? There's an escapist, fantastical appeal to this concept and it's legitimately fun experiencing this vicariously through the characters on screen. I probably wouldn't have chosen a show like Pleasantville, but it's fun all the same. The movie raises interesting questions- how much could you influence the insular world of a television show, especially one that takes places decades before your own time? What changes would you inadvertently cause? Some of the most entertaining, thought-provoking aspects of this film involve examining those questions.

One critical aspect of this film I loved was the use of both black & white and color. When our protagonists first arrive in Pleasantville, everything is devoid of color, as you'd expect from a 1950s television show. Yet, the longer they stay, the more color starts to invade the world around them. I won't go into all the implications or commentary on this, but it's a brilliant visual way to depict the times are a-changing. It gives the film a memorable visual look.

The cast is very good. I enjoyed Tobey Maguire and Reese Witherspoon in the lead roles. Both are talented young actors and they played their parts well. They were believable and relatable and worked well together. They did have some brother/sister chemistry, which helped. William H. Macy was good in a very restrained role. You can still see he showed up and put in the effort to make his role as effective as possible. Joan Allen was a nice addition to the cast and she gets a few moments where she really shines and is able to showcase her talent. Jeff Daniels is one of the most underrated actors and this movie is a great example- he has a small role, but he makes a huge impact through his performance. I really enjoyed him in the role. J.T. Walsh is always fun in these antagonistic roles and it was wonderful seeing Don Knotts used extremely effectively in a small role. It was also fun seeing Paul Walker in an earlier role. Really, the talent quality of the cast is impressive here.

Gary Ross directs this film extremely well. It could have been forgettable, but he managed to get three Academy Award nominations for the film (all in technical categories, but that speaks to the execution of the film). This is a really well made movie. Now, at 2 hours and 4 minutes, it was a bit long. There's too many sequences that drag, especially in the middle of the film. The soggy middle does detract from the film and some of the moments that drag and quell momentum do hurt the overall film. Still, that doesn't prevent this from being a worthwhile movie.

Pleasantville may not be the kind of film you watch a dozen times, but it's sneakily effective and offers much more than you'd expect. It features a strong cast and some stellar film-making. It's a film I enjoyed both times I saw it.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7.5


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