Review of Pleasantville (1998) by Edward C — 17 May 2014

Pleasantville (1998).

Starring: Tobey Maguire, Jeff Daniels, Joan Allen,William H. Macy, J.T Walsh,Reese Witherspoon,Don Knotts,Paul Walker, and Marley Shelton.

Written,Produced&Directed By:Gary Ross.

Review.

Nothing is as a simple as black&white.

Is everything pleasant in your life? Are you always happy? Or are you like me when nothing ever goes your way? If the answer to the first two questions are no and the third one yes then you should watch this film. You should know that the film references some cult black and whit television but I don't know which. But this film is going to hit with it's message and it lasts. That hope is still in the world even if you change.

In Pleasantville David is young man in high school who watches Tv times Pleasantville and has watched every single episode and is going to watch the marathon while answering the questions. And he has a crush on a girl in school but doesn't have the courage to ask her out. His sister on the other hand is a fad girl who hangs out with her friends and is trying to make a date with the hottest guy in school. But everything changes when a Tv repairman comes at their door and gives them a new remote. He starts asking David questions about Pleasantville, when the repairman leaves David and his sister start arguing over the Tv again and they pull the remote and it sends them to Pleasantville, where they begin to discover something in themselves and the town.

You will appreciate this film more if you do what I did and go in to it knowing very little. It will be the greatest joy you will have with this film. You might like it if your a self-effacing person because nothing ever goes your way,if you just want a good laugh or if you just want to smile after a bad day.Because it has some memorable characters played by wonderful actors.

Tobey Maguire plays David who once he goes into the world of Pleasantville must become Bud and sticks with that name because he is changing. He gives an amazing performance, Tobey Maguire notably does when he plays characters similar to these. This is the best performance I've seen from Reese Witherspoon who plays David/Bud's sister Jenifer/Mary Sue, Her character's always spice things up to her taste, it makes Maguire's characters eventually play along in his own way. Joan Allen(who's work I've never seen)plays Betty the mother of the television characters Bud and Mary Sue. Her and Reese Witherspoon share one of my favorite sequences in the film. Marly Shelton plays Margaret who gives cookies to one of the characters from the Tv world but decides to go with the change that she's happening around her. They all feel something in their guts these characters and that's the best thing about them they don't know what to do, they would usually feel scared of getting out of their comfort zone but they have the courage to do so.

The film has great cinematography, it's the best looking even when it's in black and white.

Plesantville is one of the best films you will ever see,it looks beautiful,has memorable characters with knock out performances. It's well shot too, Plesantville is a pleasant five out of five.