Pleasantville Review
by "David Wilcock" (david DOT wilcock AT btinternet DOT com)March 14th, 1999
Pleasantville.
Starring Tobey Maguire, Reese Witherspoon, Jeff Daniels and Joan Allen. Directed By Gary Ross
Running Time: 2 hours.
(New Line Cinema.)
Gary Ross delivers a pleasing directing debut in the form of this entertaining movie. 'Pleasantville' is a T.V program set in the 50's where everything is perfect and in black and white. David (Maguire) is the show's biggest fan, who can name events that happen in every episode. Through a series of events, David and hip sister Jennifer (Witherspoon) somehow end up in the T.V program itself, as Bud and Mary Sue, characters from the show. Their actions in the world start to change the Pleasantville world, and as people start to discover their true 'colours', they leave their black and white world and become technicolour themselves.
Gary Ross is no stranger to gentle sentimental comedies, having previously written Big and Dave, both entertaining films. And Pleasantville is no exception. Although it stumbles across the 'sentiment' line occasionally, every scene is a delight. With a concept this high, the film may have gone in over itself, but it keeps a firm head and remains all the more pleasurably for it. In fact, I was sitting through the whole movie with a big grin, due to the immense charm the film possessed. The cast contribute a great deal to the film. Although Maguire is occasionally grating, he's suited to the main role. He occasionally puts the moral of the story across a little too strongly, especially at the end of the movie, but he's a competent leading man. Witherspoon is good fun as the sister, although the writers seem to forget about her near the end. She's certainly Gen-X enough, and performs her role well. Her absolute horror when she discovers she's 'pasty' is great. Jeff Daniels delivers a somewhat awkward performance as friendly burger bar owner Mr Johnson, who appears to be in a daze throughout the whole movie. He tries a little too hard to be sentimental, and it doesn't quite work. But it takes Joan Allen and William H. Macy to steal the movie as Bud and Mary Lou's parents. Joan Allen gives a powerful performance (as always) as the mum, and her pyrotechnic masturbation scene is interesting to say the least. Although she's sadly given little to do other than look sad for half of the film, but she does it so well it's irrelevant. Macy gives another great performance, and the audience does feel genuinely sorry for him when he returns home as usual and discovers that his dinner isn't on the table. His three words, 'Where's my dinner?' will make the strongest heart turn to something soft and squidgy. J.T Walsh also makes an memorable appearance as the Mayor of Pleasantville, who's shocked at what's going on with his town.
The special effects are also incredible. The colour mixes in seamlessly with the black and white, and the effect is rather impressive. There's a lovely scene with coloured blossom falling around the black and white David and his girlfriend, and also the way the burger bar turns to colour is well handled. The music is also great, consisting of lovely whimsical tune.s
But there's one problem with Pleasantville, and that's the fact that the film doesn't have a clear direction. Halfway through the movie, with all the whimsy of the characters turning into colour, it suddenly veers direction and turns into an 'anti racism' movie. Some of the scenes are reminiscent of Nazi Germany, including a scene where the citizens burn all the coloured books in Pleasantville. Then it veers again, turning into a 'don't be afraid to be yourself' moral, which is put across blatantly and rather embarrassingly to the audience in an uncomfortable scene with David and his mum. And the films conclusion is rather obvious, and although done well, William H. Macy seems to get more of a bum rap than he deserves.
In the end, however, Pleasantville is a treat, a enjoyable film from beginning to end. But with a little bit of work, Gary Ross's next work could be _true_ brilliance.
RATING=**** OUT OF *****
A David Wilcock Review ©1999
DAVID WILCOCK
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