Film 140 (Goal: 300) of 2024:

Pleasantville is a better film than it had any right to be. A pretty standard idea, that of being sucked into a TV, where the world is of a 60s sitcom where the world is perfect and everything is in black and white. With the introduction of two teenagers from the 90s, a superfan of the sitcom, played by Tobey Maguire and his rebellious sister, Reese Witherspoon, the world of Pleasantville begins to change and impact the once monotonous residents and the surroundings.

Pleasantville introduces themes of acceptance, finding one's place, segregation and the loss of innocence. None are every really mined to the full potential but this doesn't hurt the film. And thankfully the film never really hits you over the head with any of them, especially segregation.

Pleasantville drags a little towards the end of it's 2nd act, where the citizens of the town begin to revolt as the loss of innocence and fear of the unknown begins to overwhelm those not willing to accept it. The film also doesn't finish as strongly as I had envisioned. I'm not sure what I was expecting or hoping for but I don't feel the film held onto it's excellent start. But despite these flaws, Pleasantville is a thoroughly enjoyable film that is extremely well directed.