Pleasantville

Making various references to cultural events and injustices, PLEASANTVILLE is a quasi-allegory that fails on that level but succeeds on another. The film tells of a brother and sister played by Tobey Maguire and Reese Witherspoon who, in the late 90's, encounter a tv repairman who sends them into a 50's tv show called "Pleasantville". The brother, who takes the place of the son 'Bud' in the show had been quite knowledgable about the show thinks about how this world should not change, but the rebellious sister immediately starts acting the way she did in the 90's in the 50's tv show where nobody knows what sex is, the basketball team always wins, and everyone is in black and white. As the world changes because of the brother and sister's presence, things gradually turn to color, people begin to realize they have personal choice, and the people still in black and white cling to their old way of life. This refusal by some of the townspeople is used as an allegory for various cultural events and injustices (as mentioned earlier). In one courtroom scene, the people who have turned to color are even forced to sit in the balcony. This is where the film seems strange, as the situation presented in the film seems to unique and specific to be used as some grand statement on injustice. Rather, they stand in their own right as interesting musings and possibilities within the original storyline.
Pleasantville: ★★★