Review of Pleasantville (1998) by Panos M — 07 Jun 2013

What a subversive little movie. In some way I think what Pleasantville wants to say is that freedom, education and expression are fundamentally good, and that we must accept them rather than stifle them even if the results are not what we would consider ideal.

If that is their message I agree with it, but I find the road to get there is fraught with preachiness, thorny symbols and needless references. It's more of a conversation piece than it is an entertainment.

It is art, though, and an ambitious piece at that.