Rating: 
Summary: Brilliantly executed--up to a point.
Review: Let's start with the major flaw in this movie, just to get it over with. Whoever had the bright idea of attempting to correlate the premise of this film with the treatment of blacks in 50's and 60's America got it wrong. It just doesn't fit, and detracts from what is otherwise an artistic and inspired dance on an interesting idea. Thankfully, they don't push the analogy too far, so, in the end, in only mildly spoils the film.But, let's get to the good stuff. The central idea is that life in a 50's sitcom isn't very fulfilling for the people involved--only they don't know it yet. Indeed, the characters in Pleasantville, a television series that never was, but could have been, live in blissful ignorance. Ignorance of what, however? You see, to this day, there are people who actually continue to believe that blissful ignorance is as good as bliss, and that it's okay to be happily unaware of a number of things that some of us believe might actually be the key to happiness--creativity, passion, curiousity, and raw emotion. For the characters in Pleasantville, there are no surprises. Dinner will always be waiting at six. The counters will always get set with forks and knives before the french fries are cooked. In other words, Pleasantville presents the idealized comfort of a world where everything has a place, and where everything is always in its place. False comfort, in other words, and one which we sometimes dream about when facing the uncertainties, rejection, alienation, and anomie that sometimes comes along with being an ordinary human being with no idea of what lies beyond the next door, or whether that cute girl or guy might actually give us the time of day --or be a drug addict with a penchant for animal cruelty. (After all, it is that kind of world we live in--but don't worry about this movie treading such uncomfortable terrain. The movie doesn't need to go that far for us to get the picture.) In many respects, this is a Garden of Eden allegory. There's even a scene where Tobey Maguire's character gets fed the veritable apple--although I didn't think it was right that he should be doing the eating. It seemed an unnecessary bit of sloppiness, or an unnecessary juxtaposition. If any one is the serpent here, it's Tobey and his sister, played with relish, finesse, and flair by Reece Witherspoon. Witherspoon is one of those actresses who, no matter what you think on first glimpse, has the ability to transform into a beautiful woman. Frankly, there simply is a lot going on under her skin, and that, I think, has much to do with it. So, the movie asks, what might happen if the serenity of Pleasantville were disturbed by a little of our reality? And, likewise, what might a shallow, slutty girl of our world learn from a bit of Pleasantville? It answers those questions entertainingly and lightly, but still with a bit of depth that is more than one comes to expect from mainstream movies. Certainly, this movie won't shake your world, but it may make you pause to think about what is meaningful, and what isn't, while entertaining you with cleverness and visual beauty. The movie could have--and maybe should have--gotten a bit more gritty. The color brought to Pleasantville could have brought more pain, but no matter. It works and is, in the end, a very pleasant diversion.
Rating: 
Summary: sweet and utterly enjoyable!
Review: This movie was by far not what i expected. It is both romantic as well as dramatic. This film clearly demonstrates the journey of discovering your inner self. When david and jennifer are trasported into pleasentville, they discover the innocence and purity of the people, these people have lead perfect lives and never experienced the world as we know it. David and Jennifer are transformed into Bud and Mary-Sue the characters from pleasentville. Throughout a series of mistakes they cause the people of pleasentville to discover what life is and how they can experience life from a hole new perspective. This is by far one of the best movies i've seen in my life, it not only teaches us more about exploring life, it makes us look twice at how genuinly wonderful experiencing life is.
For those who confuse this with the film taking off 1950's life obviously didn't what the movie with the same innocence as margaret, chip, peggy-jane, mr johnson, and betty & george.
my advice is watch it again and don't be so critical. This movie is a classic and should be watched throughout the ages.
Rating:
Summary: It has a good message...
Review: Now I'm not saying I like everything about this film, but it is a very "Pleasent" and pretty meaningfull film. Though someone said it says "A Pleasent Life is a Bad Life." and that's not what the film means. I think one thing its trying to say is sometimes we have to let ourselves go a little, and sometimes we have to stop and look at things and think "Okay just because times are changing does that mean our values have to change to(No, I don't think so...Anyways)" Though some people get overboard as long as the values are good for the whole world and nothing to be ashamed of like "Abstinence" or anything like that., this movie made me look at my life because I'd been thinking about alot of things about the world and how it keeps getting worse. Though we have more freedom people(Myself included)indulge on various things which we should not... And this movie does show that. Though it says it can be okay, though its prolly better if you don't, you can always fix your mistakes, but would you rather have to retrace your steps? or just keep moving ahead? It makes you look at how your living your life and how you can make it better. There are also MANY symbolistic things in this movies as well...Such an "Adam&Eve" like seen. It almost seems like Don Knotts is God, and they are like the Israelites who don't listen and do the sins they please and to please themselves instead of God. Ahaha yeah... But that's just what it seems like to me... At least that's some of the stuff I got from it. Though the first time I saw it back in '98 I was 13yrs and I didn't get anything from it, but now that I'm 4yrs I think about my life&the world ALOT more then I did back then. So I got ALOT out of this film, so maybe you should watch it twice? Also as others have allready said: The visuals are amazing. Simply stunning. Its just beautifull the way the black&white looks&then blends with the color&then full technicolor. Its wonderous. The acting is great too, Tobey Maguire is wonderfull, as well as Reese Witherspoon, Jeff Daniels, and the rest of the cast. Overall this film is not just worth a watch for its visuals, it has an actually few messages in it. So *enjoy*& God Bless ~Amy
Rating: 
Summary: Concept was pleasant, ultimate theme - unpleasant
Review: As a whole, the concept of the film and the visuals were great! But there was a serious lack of continuity and just far-fetchedness. For instance, we would believe that Pleasantville had no outside world. Then who did they lose the basketball game to? Even more curious, Maguire's character who so longed for family at the film's start, was not concerned at all that his TV mom would leave his TV dad. In fact, he smiled about it. This was supposed to be growth in him. Somehow marital fidelity and sexual purity ... is as dark and foreboding as book-burning according to the screenwriter... The film could've had something to say...
Rating:
Summary: I feel cheated!
Review: I was outraged to find that the end of this wonderful movie has been changed from the screen version! The entire situation of Joan Allen's character is different, and gives the film a completely different meaning in regard to her character. Did the Bible Belt police get hold of it, or what? If there has been a major change in the video version of a film, this should be indicated in your description. Just a simple sentence saying something like "This film has been edited and the storyline changed from the screen version" would have helped to warn me. I bought TWO copies -- one to give away -- and now I'm stuck with a movie with a completely different message than the one I saw. I am especially disappointed since there is no way for me to own the original version. Who made this decision and what were they thinking?
Rating:
Summary: An unconvincing film.
Review: Pleasantville is well-done from a strictly visual point of view, but it doesn't make a good case for its main conceit: that a "pleasantly" stable life is an unfulfilling one. I kept watching the movie thinking, why is this such a bad thing? Not that I favor all the details about the caricatures presented; I have no interest in seeing mothers cooped up in the kitchen, for instance, especially since I'd rather cook for myself. And the town's implied racism certainly has appeal for me. But the movie's theme has more to do with tone, rather than specifics. Pleasantville would have you believe that a pleasant life is bad, but generally speaking, the atmosphere of the town portrayed in the movie seemed very appealing to me. I can't figure out why that kind of overall climate is bad, details notwithstanding. And if you can't buy into the film's premise, you can't enjoy this movie.
Rating:
Summary: It's good but its not what I expected
Review: I thought the movie showed that the television version of the 1950's could not handle modern culture. I really don't think you can say that a 1950's television show reflects the actual 1950's. The technical effects were really excellent but the story line seemed to be pushing points that just don't make sense. I also think that Gary Ross and Timothy Klugh don't agree on what Pleasantville is. Gary's movie and Timothy's novel differ greatly. I found this an ironic conflict. One states the old values are not good and the other states the opposite. I wonder if these two know each other.
Rating:
Summary: unique
Review: Witty,clever,original,moving,enlightening and funny.This is simply a must see film.
Rating:
Summary: Masterful Cinematography
Review: The idea of keeping innocent, orthodox Pleasantville in black and white was a better than any special effect that i could think of. It is a true shame that this film didn't win an academy award for cinematography.Then the idea of a more guilty Pleasantville becoming colorful, like the real world. This was absolutely a mastery of cinematography.
Rating:
Summary: Good idea, poor deliverance
Review: About half way through the movie, I turned to my mother and thanked her for renting it- I would have hated to spend the money on it myself. The overwhelming theme of the movie is the need to imbrace change, and the director never misses a chance to hit you over the head with it.
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