6/11/2023 0 Comments Pleasantville novel![]() Out of this fairly standard magical realism setup, Ross’ script aims higher with its central themes. When they break the TV remote in their ensuing row, a mysterious repairman (Don Knotts) comes along and propels them both into the black-and-white world depicted in the show. On the eve of a big-money trivia challenge, David’s twin sister Jennifer ( Reese Witherspoon) wants to watch a concert on MTV instead. In the film, high-schooler David ( Tobey Maguire) is a child of divorce and a devoted Pleasantville geek, who clearly enjoys retreating into the uncomplicated exploits that the quaint and inoffensive program represents. Scanning more like a feature-length Twilight Zone story than a knockabout fantasy comedy, this technically brilliant film weaves an interesting teen movie-cum-civil rights drama around a fictional 1950s sitcom called Pleasantville. ![]() Judging by the numbers, it certainly didn’t help its box office performance at the time. ![]() When Gary Ross’ Pleasantville was released on DVD in the UK, its cover bore a Total Film review pull-quote labelling it as “ The Truman Show meets Back to the Future.” It’s the kind of description that sounds bang-on but doesn’t actually do the film any favors. ![]()
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