Pleasantville (the movie) depicts the transportation of two 1990's teens (Tobey Maguire, Reese Witherspoon) into their television set and the mythical 1950's B/W sitcom "Pleasantville." Everything is pleasant in Pleasantville (the sitcom) - no rain, no fire, no homeless, no sex, no disease, mothers serve breakfast in a dress (with makeup and high heels), etc. Picture "Leave it to Beaver," and you'll get the idea.
In their real lives, both Maguire (David) and Witherspoon (Jennifer) are, of course, alive but are not really living - not really experiencing what they need to be complete. David finds solace in watching Pleasantville because it's an idealized escape from the complications of his own life, and Jennifer builds her self-esteem through sexual promiscuity. The transportation into the sitcom offers an opportunity for David and Jennifer to learn the lessons that will make them complete.
The citizens of Pleasantville also undergo their own transformations as they learn about real emotions - love, the joys of reading, anger, etc. As a result, these changes expose the limitations of human behavior such as vandalism, racism, segregation, and book-burning.
The true genius about this movie is graphically illustrating these transformations through the masterful introduction of color. The B/W sitcom eventually becomes colorized, and Pleasantville will never be the same. Quite a unique and original screenplay that's been beautifully captured! |
