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Pleasantville

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Pleasantville (1998)

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Reviews Counted:83

Fresh:71

Rotten:12

Average Rating:7.5/10

Consensus: High production values and an original story impressed critics.

Runtime: 2 hrs 16 mins

Genre: Comedies

Synopsis: Two modern American teenagers are sucked into their television set and end up living in a black-and-white fifties sitcom. Bewildered by their new world's naivete and innocence, they slowly start to... Two modern American teenagers are sucked into their television set and end up living in a black-and-white fifties sitcom. Bewildered by their new world's naivete and innocence, they slowly start to add color and spice to the town's life. Eventually, however, they begin to question their influence, wondering if their advanced 90's attitudes are really that much better than those of the innocent past. Sterling effects and stand-out performances make this commentary on modern life a poignant, entertaining effort. [More]

Starring: Tobey Maguire, Reese Witherspoon, Jeff Daniels, Joan Allen

Starring: Tobey Maguire, Reese Witherspoon, Jeff Daniels, Joan Allen, William H. Macy, J.T. Walsh, Don Knotts, Paul Walker, Marley Shelton, Jane Kaczmarek, Marissa Ribisi

Director: Gary Ross

Director: Gary Ross
Screenwriter: Gary Ross
Producer: Robert J. Degus, Jon Kilik, Steven Soderbergh, Gary Ross
Composer: Randy Newman

[See More Credits]

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Release:

Mar 23, 1999

No Details Exist
 
 

Reviews for Pleasantville

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1 - 20 (sorted by date)
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N/R

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Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
10/18/08
Joe Leydon
Joe Leydon
Variety
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
06/24/06
Derek Adams
Derek Adams
Time Out

Though Ross works in some heavy-handed strokes, his portrait of stodgy Eisenhower America dazzles with some of the loveliest imagery of any 1990s film.

Full Review Source: Boulder Weekly | comment Comment
02/23/06
Thomas Delapa
Thomas Delapa
Boulder Weekly

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
12/06/05
Film Threat

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Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
12/06/05
Film Threat
N/R

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Full Review Source: Houston Chronicle | comment Comment
07/21/05
Houston Chronicle
N/R

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Full Review Source: Reeling Reviews | comment Comment
04/09/05
Robin Clifford
Robin Clifford
Reeling Reviews

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Full Review Source: Dark Horizons | comment Comment
04/02/05
Garth Franklin
Garth Franklin
Dark Horizons

Someday, maybe someday soon, someone in Hollywood is going to make a genuinely great movie about television as a metaphor for America.

Full Review Source: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette | comment Comment
01/29/05
Philip Martin
Philip Martin
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: rec.arts.movies.reviews | comment Comment
05/03/04
Dragan Antulov
Dragan Antulov
rec.arts.movies.reviews

Hollywood satire is not usually this enjoyable: Both savage and silly, Pleasantville is an absolute blast.

Full Review Source: Jam! Movies | comment Comment
04/13/04
Bruce Kirkland
Bruce Kirkland
Jam! Movies
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Film Blather | comment Comment
05/22/03
Eugene Novikov
Eugene Novikov
Film Blather

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Full Review Source: Palo Alto Weekly | comment Comment
05/14/03
Jeanne Aufmuth
Jeanne Aufmuth
Palo Alto Weekly

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Full Review Source: Film Quips Online | comment Comment
02/08/03
John R. McEwen
John R. McEwen
Film Quips Online

This is an exquisite, timely film. It's nice to know that occasionally, even Hollywood does something right.

Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
12/08/02
Merle Bertrand
Merle Bertrand
Film Threat

Ross has come up with one of the best, most subversive, and definitely one of the most memorable films of the year.

Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
12/08/02
Ron Wells
Ron Wells
Film Threat

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Full Review Source: Netflix | comment Comment
11/07/02
James Rocchi
James Rocchi
Netflix

The lighthearted fable Pleasantville takes some pointed swipes at the make-believe world of 1950s TV -- and none too soon.

Full Review Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune | comment Comment
11/06/02
Jeff Strickler
Jeff Strickler
Minneapolis Star Tribune
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Montreal Film Journal | comment Comment
09/10/02
Kevin N. Laforest
Kevin N. Laforest
Montreal Film Journal

There's a terrific idea at the heart of Pleasantville, and it's a shame that its creator, Big screenwriter Gary Ross, can't figure where to take it.

Full Review Source: San Francisco Chronicle | comment Comment
06/18/02
Edward Guthmann
Edward Guthmann
San Francisco Chronicle
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
 
 
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Latest News for Pleasantville

February 28, 2006: Three Great Character Actors Gone in One Sad Weekend
The traditional logic that says "famous people always die in threes" was backed up with a vengeance this past weekend as we lost a trio of talented, prolific, and... More...

December 08, 2005: Jeff Daniels Does "Lookout" Duty for Disney
Well-admired character actor Jeff Daniels will star in a thriller entitled "The Lookout" for Disney and Spyglass, a project that will mark the directorial debut of an... More...

October 20, 2005: Breck Eisner Goes from "Sahara" to "Black Lagoon"
Breck Eisner made his debut with last April's "Sahara" for Paramount, and he'll soon be helming Universal's remake of "The Creature from the Black Lagoon."... More...

May 23, 2005: Trailer Bulletin: Chicken Little
We've seen a handful of cute little teasers already, but ComingSoon.net brings us a first look at the all-new trailer for Disney's animated comedy "Chicken Little."... More...

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