- Actors: Tobey Maguire, Jeff Daniels, Joan Allen, Reese Witherspoon, William H. Macy
- Directors: Gary Ross
- Writers: Gary Ross
- Producers: Gary Ross, Allen Alsobrook, Allison Thomas, Andy Borowitz, Bob Degus
- Language English
- Classification: 12
- Studio: Eiv
- VHS Release Date: 21 Feb 2000
- Run Time: 124 minutes
- Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
- ASIN: B00004S5N9
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,826 in Video (See Top 100 in Video)
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Fantastical writer Gary Ross (Big, Dave) makes an auspicious directorial debut with this inspired and oddly touching comedy about two 90s kids (Tobey Maguire and Reese Witherspoon) thrust into the black-and-white TV world of Pleasantville, a Leave It to Beaver-style sitcom complete with picket fences, corner malt shop and warm chocolate chip cookies. When a somewhat unusual remote control (provided by repairman Don Knotts) transports them from the jaded real world to G-rated TV land, Maguire and Witherspoon are forced to play along as Bud and Mary Sue, the obedient children of George and Betty Parker (William H Macy and Joan Allen). Maguire, an obsessive Pleasantville devotee, understands the need for not toppling the natural balance of things; Witherspoon, on the other hand, starts shaking the town up, most notably when she takes football stud Skip (Paul Walker) up to Lover's Lane for some modern-day fun and games. Soon enough, Pleasantville's teens are discovering sex along with--gasp!--rock & roll, free thinking and soul-changing Technicolour. Filled with delightful and shrewd details about sitcom life (no toilets, no double beds, only two streets in the town), Pleasantville is a joy to watch, not only for its comedy but for the groundbreaking visual effects and astonishing production design as the town gradually transforms from crisp black and white to glorious colour. Ross does tip his hand a bit about halfway through the film, obscuring the movie's basic message of the unpredictability of life with overloaded and obvious symbolism, as the black-and-white denizens of the town gang up on the "coloureds" and impose rules of conduct to keep their strait-laced town laced up. Still, the characterizations from the phenomenal cast--especially repressed housewife Allen and soda-shop owner Jeff Daniels, doing some of their best work ever--will keep you emotionally invested in the film's outcome and waiting to see Pleasantville in all its final Technicolor glory. --Mark Englehart
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
A brilliant film. Its a shame that a previous review thought that the characters changing from black and white to colour meant that this was advocating sexual promiscuity. In my opinion, when characters changed to colour it meant they had opened their eyes, experienced something new, widened their vision - if it was about sexual promiscuity, why wasnt Reese Witherspoons character MaryJane in colour right from the start?!! She only changes to colour when she's read - and enjoyed - a book. Thought it was absolutely beautiful, really enjoyed it, not a bad word to say. Fab fab fab.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
This film is one of my favourite films. It is one of those few films that I can watch over and over and over again
It is funny, beautiful, moving, insightful and thought provoking without being tacky, cheesy and preaching to the viewer. Also, Pleasantville is full of classic moments with an outstanding cast.
I would strongly recommend this film to anyone.
It is funny, beautiful, moving, insightful and thought provoking without being tacky, cheesy and preaching to the viewer. Also, Pleasantville is full of classic moments with an outstanding cast.
I would strongly recommend this film to anyone.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
This is a wonderful film. The black and white world of Pleasantville slowly becoming coloured is a simple but very effective idea that is here EXTREMELY well executed. The script, direction and acting easily stand out over the spectacular effects-trickery. A tiny disappointment is that the 'The Art of Pleasantville' documentary is pretty poorly produced, filmed for some reason on a shaky camcorder with far too much time devoted to an interview in which the guy wanders about his studio for ages in search of his 'special chair'. I'm not sure why this was considered worthy to include on the DVD.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
pleasent effect Pleasentville
A wonderfull mixture of fun fantasy and morals.Once past the entry into pleasentville the story line escalates slowly but surely bringing a mixture of emotions to a wonderfull... Read more
Published 3 months ago by anagram bap
On My Favourite Films of All Time List
I just love this film and had already seen it two or three times. I love it and had to have a copy. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Floyd Freak
very ....pleasant film
i watched this film a few years ago n really wanted to see it again - its a nice family film -with a simple but thought provoking theme - the children of the family end up in an... Read more
Published 11 months ago by Betty Mulholland
What Region Is this dvd. .
im scared incase this dvd is region one nd wont work on my dvd or ps3 :(
so just woundering region it is pls people . .
so just woundering region it is pls people . .
Published 20 months ago by Chrissy
Pleasantville
Fantastic film , so true to life in the '50s , great fun it should be on everyones list of films to see , over and over again . Read more
Published on 3 Jan 2010 by Derek J. Day
Plasentville
This film is a first rate heart warming movie laughs highs and lows and some parts tht make a point of history with a twist it's one of my top rated movies of all time.
Published on 18 Oct 2009 by Mr. D. J. Taylor
Throught provoking and fun
This is a thought provoking film if you want it to be, but also just plain fun if you don't want to think too much. Read more
Published on 8 Oct 2009 by Raffles
Tries hard to be a masterpiece, but falls short
The premise is an intriguing one in which two modern teenagers are transported into a B&W 1950s domestic sitcom set in the perfect town of Pleasantville. Read more
Published on 29 July 2009 by Blackhorse47
paradise lost
It seems in the USA by the decade of the 1950's existed something similar to small towns as Pleasantville. Read more
Published on 3 May 2009 by Carlos Vazquez Quintana
Spring time in Pleasantville
This movie was written, produced, and directed by Gary Ross, who also produced another successful movie, Seabiscuit (2003). Read more
Published on 20 Jan 2009 by Rama Rao
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