7.5/10
116,418
714 user 174 critic

Pleasantville (1998)

PG-13 | | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy | 23 October 1998 (USA)
Pleasantville Poster
Trailer
0:31 | Trailer
Two 1990s teenage siblings find themselves in a 1950s sitcom, where their influence begins to profoundly change that complacent world.

Director:

Gary Ross

Writer:

Gary Ross

Stars:

Tobey Maguire, Jeff Daniels, Joan Allen | See full cast & crew »
Watch on STARZ with Prime Video Channels
71
Reviews
Popularity
1,970 ( 1,197)
Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 18 wins & 41 nominations. See more awards »

Videos

See all 1 video  »

Photos

See all 102 photos »
Learn more

More Like This 













◄ Prev 6 Next 6 ►

Next »
Election (1999)
Comedy | Drama | Romance
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.2/10 X  

A high school teacher's personal life becomes complicated as he works with students during the school elections, particularly with an obsessive overachiever determined to become student body president.

Director: Alexander Payne
Stars: Matthew Broderick, Reese Witherspoon, Chris Klein
Next »
Seabiscuit (2003)
Drama | History | Sport
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.3/10 X  

True story of the undersized Depression-era racehorse whose victories lifted not only the spirits of the team behind it but also those of their nation.

Director: Gary Ross
Stars: Tobey Maguire, Jeff Bridges, Elizabeth Banks
Next »
Cruel Intentions (1999)
Drama | Romance
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 6.8/10 X  

Two vicious step-siblings of an elite Manhattan prep school make a wager: to deflower the new headmaster's daughter before the start of term.

Director: Roger Kumble
Stars: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, Reese Witherspoon
Next »
The Cider House Rules (1999)
Drama | Romance
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.4/10 X  

A compassionate young man, raised in an orphanage and trained to be a doctor there, decides to leave to see the world.

Director: Lasse Hallström
Stars: Tobey Maguire, Charlize Theron, Michael Caine
Next »
Fear (1996)
Drama | Thriller
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 6.2/10 X  

When Nicole met David; handsome, charming, affectionate, he was everything. It seemed perfect, but soon she sees that David has a darker side. And his adoration turns to obsession, their dream into a nightmare, and her love into fear.

Director: James Foley
Stars: Mark Wahlberg, Reese Witherspoon, William Petersen
Next »
Go (1999)
Comedy | Crime
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.2/10 X  

Go! tells the story of the events after a drug deal, told from three different points of view.

Director: Doug Liman
Stars: Sarah Polley, Jay Mohr, Scott Wolf
Next »
Wonder Boys (2000)
Comedy | Drama
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.3/10 X  

An English Professor tries to deal with his wife leaving him, the arrival of his editor who has been waiting for his book for seven years, and the various problems that his friends and associates involve him in.

Director: Curtis Hanson
Stars: Michael Douglas, Tobey Maguire, Frances McDormand
Next »
Swingers (1996)
Comedy | Drama
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.2/10 X  

Wannabe actors become regulars in the stylish neo-lounge scene; Trent teaches his friend Mike the unwritten rules of the scene.

Director: Doug Liman
Stars: Vince Vaughn, Heather Graham, Jon Favreau
Next »
Mystery Men (1999)
Action | Comedy | Fantasy
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 6.1/10 X  

A group of inept amateur superheroes must try to save the day when a supervillain threatens to destroy a major superhero and the city.

Director: Kinka Usher
Stars: Ben Stiller, Janeane Garofalo, William H. Macy
Next »
Galaxy Quest (1999)
Adventure | Comedy | Sci-Fi
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.3/10 X  

The alumni cast of a space opera television series have to play their roles as the real thing when an alien race needs their help. However, they also have to defend both Earth and the alien race from a reptilian warlord.

Director: Dean Parisot
Stars: Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman
Next »
The Man in the Moon (1991)
Drama | Romance
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.4/10 X  

A coming of age story set in the south of the U.S. when Elvis was King.

Director: Robert Mulligan
Stars: Sam Waterston, Tess Harper, Gail Strickland
Next »
Dogma (1999)
Adventure | Comedy | Drama
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.3/10 X  

An abortion clinic worker with a special heritage is called upon to save the existence of humanity from being negated by two renegade angels trying to exploit a loop-hole and reenter Heaven.

Director: Kevin Smith
Stars: Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Linda Fiorentino
Edit

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tobey Maguire ... David
Reese Witherspoon ... Jennifer
William H. Macy ... George Parker
Joan Allen ... Betty Parker
Jeff Daniels ... Bill Johnson
J.T. Walsh ... Big Bob
Don Knotts ... TV Repairman
Marley Shelton ... Margaret Henderson
Jane Kaczmarek ... David's Mom
Giuseppe Andrews ... Howard
Jenny Lewis ... Christin
Marissa Ribisi ... Kimmy
Denise Dowse ... Health Teacher
McNally Sagal ... Science Teacher
Paul Morgan Stetler ... College Counselor
See full cast »
Edit

Storyline

David Wagner is a kid whose mind is stuck in the 1950s. He's addicted to a classic 50's sitcom television show called "Pleasantville". Pleasantville is a simple place, a place where all of its citizens are swell and simple-minded folks, a place where the word "violence", and life outside of Pleasantville, is unbeknownst to its inhabitants; things are perfect down in Pleasantville. One evening, the life of David and his obnoxious sister Jennifer take a bizarre turn when an eccentric repairman hand them a supposed magical remote. After a quarrel between the siblings, they inexplicably zap themselves into the world of "Pleasantville". Now, David and Jennifer must adjust to a 50s lifestyle of repressed desires and considerably different societal values while trying to find their way home. Written by Kyle Perez

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

1950s | trapped in tv | family values | free thinker | rebellion | See All (68) »

Taglines:

Pleasantville - It's Just Around the Corner See more »

Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Fantasy

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some thematic elements emphasizing sexuality, and for language | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

View content advisory »
Edit

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 October 1998 (USA) See more »

Also Known As:

Pleasantville See more »

Filming Locations:

Petaluma, California, USA See more »
Edit

Box Office

Budget:

$60,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$8,855,063, 25 October 1998

Gross USA:

$40,584,421

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$49,805,462
See more on IMDbPro »

Company Credits

Production Co:

New Line Cinema, Larger Than Life Productions See more »
Show more on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1
See full technical specs »
Edit

Did You Know?

Trivia

William H. Macy and J.T. Walsh appeared in House of Games (1987), Things Change (1988), and The Client (1994). See more »

Goofs

After the TV repairman leaves you can see the reflection of david and jennifer on the screen but right when he presses the button of the new remote there is a close up of the screen and their reflections are nowhere to be seen. See more »

Quotes

[first lines]
[David is gazing admiringly at a pretty blonde girl]
David: *Hi*
[chuckles]
David: I mean, Hi. Uh, look, you probably don't think I should be asking you this. I mean, not knowing you well and all? I mean, you know, I, I, I know you, 'cause everybody knows you. I just don't know you technically. Uh, anyhow. Uh, I don't know what you're doing this weekend, but my mom's leaving town, and she's letting me borrow the car.
[...]
See more »

Crazy Credits

The New Line logo plays in complete silence. See more »

Connections

Referenced in Special Collector's Edition: Supercop (2011) See more »

Soundtracks

(Let Me Be Your)Teddy Bear
Written by Kal Mann and Bernie Lowe
Performed by Elvis Presley
See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Won't Jennifers real mother wonder where her daughter is when she is gone for a long time?
See more »

User Reviews

Positively Wonderful
14 November 1998 | by Tetsel – See all my reviews

Pleasantville should be nominated for Best Director and Best Cinematography, and perhaps Best Supporting Actor for William H. Macy. Joan Allen, Jeff Daniels and Tobey Maguire are also excellent, and the idea is brilliant. In other words, this film is one of the best of the year. It is fun for the eyes and filled with wonderful allusions to great books and other films, not to mention some similar events in our country's past. If you will let yourself go from reality and put a little thought into it, you will realize the sheer genius behind this film. The messages were plenty and appropriate, and while it is extremely fun to watch, it still is able to evoke deeper emotions. Fantastic, and my vote for second best film of the year behind Saving Private Ryan.
48 of 74 people found this review helpful.  Was this review helpful to you? | Report this
Review this title | See all 714 user reviews »
Getting Started | Contributor Zone »

Contribute to This Page

Free Movies and TV Shows You Can Watch Now

On IMDb TV, you can catch Hollywood hits and popular TV series at no cost. Select any poster below to play the movie, totally free!

La La Land
Big Fish
Groundhog Day
Sing Street
Freebird... The Movie

Browse free movies and TV series

Stream Trending TV Series With Prime Video

Explore popular and recently added TV series available to stream now with Prime Video.

Start your free trial


Clear your history

Recently Viewed