Pleasantville

PG-13

Released Sep 17, 1998

2 hr. 3 min.

Comedy

List

86%

98 Reviews

Tomatometer

79%

100,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Impressed by high school student David's (Tobey Maguire) devotion to a 1950s family TV show, a mysterious television repairman (Don Knotts) provides him with a means to escape into the black-and-white program with his sister, Jennifer (Reese Witherspoon). While David initially takes to the simplistic, corny world of the show, Jennifer sets about jolting the characters with doses of reality that unexpectedly bring a little color into their drab existence.

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Critics Consensus

Filled with lighthearted humor, timely social commentary, and dazzling visuals, Pleasantville is an artful blend of subversive satire and well-executed Hollywood formula.

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Lucy F

A beautiful, light-hearted tale about the importance of personal expression and always crying out against censorship. Charming on every watch.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/10/24

Full Review

Ant D

Visually pretty, but an OK story/plot. It didn't need have sex references.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

11/28/23

Full Review

Alexandria M

Why is being such a slut a thing to brag about.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

10/27/23

Full Review

Paul M

A rare treat! Pleasantville is one of those timeless films that contain a certain level of magic, similar to Stand By Me or Shawshank Redemption. If I happen to come across it on TV I almost always stop to watch. The ensemble cast is smartly put together, and the story is rich all while delving into serious themes of right and wrong (from a culture perspective). Most impressively, doing so without coming off as preachy or ham fisted. If you haven't see this and consider yourself even a journey-man film buff, then you are seriously missing out 8.6/10.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

07/12/23

Full Review

Jack G

This movie is great! It has heartfelt moments, and great character development! Little overboard with the sex scenes but other than that, great!

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/24/23

Full Review

dave s

Pleasantville, a thinking person's spin on the Back to the Future plot, features Tobey Maguire and Reese Witherspoon as a pair of teenage siblings who find themselves transported back in time to 1958 to the sitcom world of Pleasantville. As time passes, the pair find themselves altering the ultra-conservative views of the local residents, slowly adding color to their drab and predictable lives. What starts as a genial comedy slowly evolves into a fabulist tale of segregation and sexual repression, never losing sight of the importance of sharply defined characters and an incredibly insightful and entertaining story. To top it off, the visual effects and set designs are absolutely stunning. Pleasantville is a rarity, a commercial Hollywood film that challenges the audience to think.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

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Gary Ross

Director

Tobey Maguire

David Wagner

Jeff Daniels

Mr. Bill Johnson

Joan Allen

Betty Parker

William H. Macy

George Parker

J.T. Walsh

Big Bob

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Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

Great movie for high schoolers and their parents.

Rated: 4/5

Dec 27, 2010

Full Review

Joe Leydon

Variety

Ingeniously conceived and impressively executed, "Pleasantville" is a provocative, complex and surprisingly anti-nostalgic parable wrapped in the beguiling guise of a commercial high-concept comedy.

Oct 18, 2008

Full Review

Derek Adams

Time Out

An ingenious fable, screenwriter Ross's directorial debut playfully spoofs the small-minded lifestyle idealised by 'family values' advocates, and the intolerance and insecurity underlying that ideal.

Jun 24, 2006

Full Review

Wesley Lovell

Cinema Sight

If the ending had been more ironic than predictable, the film might have been able to beat the similarly themed “The Truman Show” in this year’s “best of” race.

Rated: 3.5/4

Oct 4, 2023

Full Review

Cory Woodroof

615 Film

Tobey Maguire, Joan Allen and especially Jeff Daniels are all tremendous here, and Gary Ross gives it just enough of a personality to give it an edge. Don Knotts is also doing his thing here, which I appreciate.

Sep 20, 2022

Full Review

Grant Watson

Fiction Machine

When characters begin to refer to "coloured people" in a film with exactly zero actual people of colour in the entire work, Ross' allegory shifts from weak to active inappropriate.

Rated: 4/10

Apr 7, 2021

Full Review

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Synopsis

Impressed by high school student David's (Tobey Maguire) devotion to a 1950s family TV show, a mysterious television repairman (Don Knotts) provides him with a means to escape into the black-and-white program with his sister, Jennifer (Reese Witherspoon). While David initially takes to the simplistic, corny world of the show, Jennifer sets about jolting the characters with doses of reality that unexpectedly bring a little color into their drab existence.

Director: Gary Ross
Executive Producer: Michael De Luca, Mary Parent
Screenwriter: Gary Ross
Distributor: New Line Cinema
Production Co: New Line Cinema
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 17, 1998, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 1, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA): $40.6M
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby Digital, DTS, SDDS
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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