Pleasantville

3.5/4

Starring: Tobey Maguire, Reese Witherspoon, William H. Macy, Joan Allen, Jeff Daniels, Marley Shelton, Don Knotts

Rated PG-13 for Some Thematic Elements Emphasizing Sexuality and for Language

Movies like “Pleasantville” are the reasons why we go to the movies in the first place.  Too often, a movie has a unique premise to draw people into the theater, but because of lazy screenwriters or nervous studio executives, the movie simply rehashes old formulas.  Not so with “Pleasantville,” a visually inventive and thought-provoking little movie.

David (Maguire) is a shy, introverted high school student whose ideal night is sitting at home watching a marathon of his favorite 1950’s sitcom, “Pleasantville.”  In other words, he’s a total geek.  His sister Jennifer (Witherspoon), on the other hand, is the school bad girl.  She smokes, wants to invite the school hottie over for what is probably a hot encounter, and so on.  Of course, both of them need the TV on the same night, and they end up breaking the remote.  In pops a mysterious TV repairman (Knotts) with a magic controller.  Suddenly, David and Jennifer have become inserted into the world of “Pleasantville” and have become two of the characters, Bud and Mary Sue.  But these two outsiders are going to shift the careful stasis of the town.

I suppose “Pleasantville” will work better for those who have an affection for old shows like “Leave it to Beaver” or “Father Knows Best,” but the film is by no means limited to them.  Writer/director Gary Ross gives audiences a brief example of what the show is like so everyone gets the idea.

Ross’s main point is that change is inevitable, no matter what we do to try and stop it.  Despite his best efforts, David is not able to keep “Pleasantville” from changing.  It’s the small things, like being late for work (the local soda shop owner doesn’t know how to set up without him).  On the other hand, Jennifer has no such qualms about shaking things up.  It isn’t long before she deflowers Skip Martin (a wonderful Paul Walker), the local heartthrob (it should be mentioned that these scenes are hilarious because of how Witherspoon and Walker play them).

The film’s depiction of societal change and how it affects people is surprisingly relevant.  The men in Pleasantville are dead ringers for members of the Christian Right, creationists and other members of the far right.  They’re afraid of change, but it is happening regardless of their attempts to stop it.

The performances are top notch.  Tobey Maguire is well cast as David, whose attempts to shield his favorite characters from change cease once he sees them open their eyes to something new.  Reese Witherspoon ably portrays a girl who finally grows up.  William H. Macy and Joan Allen make for fine sitcom parents, and Jeff Daniels is wonderful as the soda shop owner who is filled with wonder now that he has experienced something different.  And who can forget Don Knotts, the late funnyman whose casting in this movie was a must.

Although a wonderful movie from beginning to end, there are times when Ross’s vision exceeds his grasp.  A few subplots are left unfinished, and some of his shots are questionable.  But still, this is a very, very good little movie.  And for once, the fantastic visuals supplement the story, rather than the other way around.