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	Pleasantville Unofficial Site dedicated to Pleasantville. Rated: PG-13 (USA) but... should be a little older **1/2 of **** Length: 124 minutes Credits: Writer: Gary Ross Director: Gary Ross Cast: Tobey Maguire: David/Bud Parker Reese Witherspoon: Jennifer/Mary Sue Parker Jeff Daniels: Mr. Bill Johnson Joan Allen: Betty Parker William H. Macy: George Parker Marley Shelton: Margaret Henderson Don Knotts: TV Repairman
Synopsis: A brother and sister from 1998 are thrown into a television reality by the intent of a mischievous TV Repairman.  They are stuck in an idealistic style television show of the 1950's, and must deal with family values, parents who love them, and a community full of naive citizens.  They attempt to blend into this old fashioned place, but create some changes which start to spread.  Review: This film does succeed in taking you beyond the obvious copy of [i]Leave It To Ozzie and Harriet[/i], or like, whatever!  It explores the shallowness of those series by exploiting the gaps in the nostalgia for that which never was.  The film effectively tells a story of 'what would happen if' a 50's TV show had to adapt to the unpleasantness of reality a few steps at a time.  This effect is symbolized by the changed elements of the black & white TV reality becoming colorized as they grow some in some way.  The focus on colorization of the movie seems to have come at some cost as to the exploration of the character's development.  Sure, the plot is there and you know what the growth was, but it would mean more if there more substance to it.  There is enough to trim out of this two hour piece of work that a more solid development could be built.  That being said, there are some relatively profound meanings to experience here that you rarely see put on the screen.  Both Tobey Maguire and Reese Witherspoon portray characters that transform in unexpected ways, even with regard to who they are in the 'real' world.  They both hold the story together through the patchwork of events.  The 1950's characters start out stereotypical and bland, and most of the actors are successful in their character's transformation into individuals with depth and free will.  This story is well told, entertaining and worth viewing.  The potentially gimmicky nature of the presentation is held at bay by the complex cojoining of the subplots to display some fundamental concepts of human nature.  Soundtrack: Across the Universe: performed by Fiona Apple Cachita: performed by Esquivel My Blue Heaven: performed by Esquivel Donna Reed Show Theme: written by John Seely and William Loose The Waste Land: performed by Diamond Slim Destiny: performed by Mister Jones Dream Girl: performed by Robert & Johnny The Gang That Sang Heart of My Heart: performed by The Four Aces Mr. Blue: performed by Pat Boone Sparkle of Love: performed by Bissell, Bourgeois and Coon Be-Bop-A-Lula: performed by Gene Vincent Lawdy Miss Clawdy: written by Lloyd Price performed by Larry Williams Take Five: performed by Dave Brubeck Quartet Sixty Thousand Clams: performed by Talkback So What: written and performed by Miles Davis (Let Me Be Your)Teddy Bear: performed by Elvis Presley At Last: performed by Etta James Rave On: performed by Buddy Holly