Pleasantville is a fabulous idea that tries to cram a heck of a lot of high concept into its running time.
Modern teenagers are transported by a convenient remote control into an apparent utopia within the small town setting of a 1950s television show.
Fairly innocent conflicts regarding 'geography' and sexual mores give way to a more serious agenda concerning small-minded prejudice, bigotry and the value of individualism. There is much use of symbolism, particularly the gradual depiction of characters and objects in colour rather than black and white.
The acting is of a high quality, with seasoned performers such as Joan Allen, Jeff Daniels and William Macy providing a solid background to (relative) newcomers Tobey Maguire and Reese Witherspoon.
However, some of the messages and symbolism is alternatively muddled (the timing of the transformations to colour) and heavy-handed (the signs that start to spring up saying 'no coloureds'.
Having said that, there is a lot to like about 'Pleasantville', even if the loftiness of its ambitions is only partially met by its success.
Worth a look.
Modern teenagers are transported by a convenient remote control into an apparent utopia within the small town setting of a 1950s television show.
Fairly innocent conflicts regarding 'geography' and sexual mores give way to a more serious agenda concerning small-minded prejudice, bigotry and the value of individualism. There is much use of symbolism, particularly the gradual depiction of characters and objects in colour rather than black and white.
The acting is of a high quality, with seasoned performers such as Joan Allen, Jeff Daniels and William Macy providing a solid background to (relative) newcomers Tobey Maguire and Reese Witherspoon.
However, some of the messages and symbolism is alternatively muddled (the timing of the transformations to colour) and heavy-handed (the signs that start to spring up saying 'no coloureds'.
Having said that, there is a lot to like about 'Pleasantville', even if the loftiness of its ambitions is only partially met by its success.
Worth a look.