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It's 1999 and teenager (Tobey Maguire) is a dedicated fan of PLEASANTVILLE, an old TV show set in a utopian small town USA, circa 1957, where things are definitely simpler. A very different place to today with cable television, divorce and teen sex. Big fan David may be, but he didn't plan to actually be in PLEASANTVILLE!!
Incredibly, David and his sister Jennifer (Reese Witherspoon) are transported into a black and white 'teleworld' of perfection with no need for bathrooms. Forced to take on the persona of TV siblings Bud and Mary Sue, they bring their modern habits and desires into an excessively polite and sex free small town environment. But when they teach the 'tele-folk' how to express their true feelings, they realize that life in PLEASANTVILLE is anything but black and white !
Product reviews...
I saw the trailer for this and it didn't entice me to watch the movie at all, I had zero interest and may have gone my whole life not watching it had it not been airing on TV on a night when I simply couldn't sleep, wasn't able to put on a DVD and there was nothing but infomercials and sports on TV and I'm really glad that I couldn't sleep that night because whilst it was a bit strange at first it did end up being a rather good movie and one that we've ended up owning. Twins David and Jennifer end up getting sucked into a black and white TV sitcom where everything is very prim and proper without much going on ie. no books, no sex etc.
It doesn't take long before things start to shake up and suddenly color begins to seep into this black and white world. Soon we see division and the reactions of the black and white characters towards those who are now in color and seeing the treatment and attitudes of everyone you can't help but hope everything works out ok and that they unify in the end. The acting is wonderfully done and this is a rather good film to watch.
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"Character - the willingness to accept responsibility for one's own life - is the source from which self respect springs."
Joan Didion (1934 - ), 'Slouching Towards Bethlehem'