Film
What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases
Bookmark this pagePleasantville (1998)
Director: Gary Ross
Movie review
From Time Out Film Guide
It's 1998, a time of liberal homilies, and two youngsters from a broken home plainly need spiritual guidance: while Jennifer (Witherspoon) wraps herself in the attentions of the opposite sex, brother David (Maguire) finds comfort in the nostalgia of a '50s soap, 'Pleasantville', offering 'a flashback to kinder, gentler times'. Enter the fairy godfather: Knotts' slightly misguided TV repair man, who, reading David's wish for refuge literally, whisks the pair inside the show's b/w world, where they're welcomed into the Parker family, and life is simple, happy, regular, insular, sexless. 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. The introduction of colour to the original monochrome palette, marking the spread of disturbing new ideas imported by the '90s teens, is a concise cinematic device and gloriously watchable.Author: NB
Cast & crew
Director: Gary Ross
Producer: John Kilik, Robert J Degus, Steven Soderbergh, Gary Ross
Cast: Tobey Maguire, Jeff Daniels, Joan Allen, Reese Witherspoon, Don Knotts, William H Macy, JT Walsh full cast
Rated: 12A
Duration: 124 mins
Most popular on this site
Top Stories
Michael Haneke discusses 'The White Ribbon'
Dave Calhoun met with Michael Haneke in Munich to mull over the details of his Palme d'Or winner, 'The White Ribbon'
Review a Coens' movie and win!
A signed copy of the script for 'A Serious Man' is up for grabs, and we want you to look to your inner film reviewer to win it
Ang Lee talks 'Taking Woodstock'
Ang Lee talks to Tom Huddleston about his tale of the men behind history’s greatest music festival
Roland Emmerich's guide to disaster movies
Ahead of the release of '2012', Roland Emmerich offers his ten tips on creating the perfect global catastrophe
Hippies who work for The Man
To celebrate George Clooney comedy 'The Men who Stare at Goats', we look back at six memorable onscreen hippies who fought the system from within
Sheffield Doc/Fest round-up
Sheffield’s annual Doc/Fest is Britain’s largest documentary festival. Edward Lawrenson learnt a few new things by taking the train north.
The Coen brothers discuss 'A Serious Man'
Masters of contrary comedy, Joel and Ethan Coen have struck gold again with their latest, ‘A Serious Man’
Grant Heslov: interview
Grant Heslov, director of 'The Men who Stare at Goats' talks about his old pal George Clooney, his interest in the paranormal, and his fond memories of working on 'Happy Days'
Ten inspirations behind 'Avatar'?
Time Out ponders the influences behind James Cameron's anticipated space-opera on the basis of the trailer
Time Out's 50 greatest animated films with commentary by Terry Gilliam
In celebration of the release of Pixar's 'Up' and Wes Anderson's 'Fantastic Mr Fox', read our rundown of fifty classic feature length animations
What do you think?
Post your review now