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IMDbPro

Pleasantville

  • 19981998
  • PG-13PG-13
  • 2h 4m
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
129K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,478
24
Pleasantville (1998)
Trailer
Play trailer0:31
2 Videos
99+ Photos
ComedyDramaFantasy
Two 1990s teenage siblings find themselves in a 1950s sitcom, where their influence begins to profoundly change that complacent world.Two 1990s teenage siblings find themselves in a 1950s sitcom, where their influence begins to profoundly change that complacent world.Two 1990s teenage siblings find themselves in a 1950s sitcom, where their influence begins to profoundly change that complacent world.
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
129K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,478
24
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • Gary Ross
    • Writer
      • Gary Ross
    • Stars
      • Tobey Maguire
      • Jeff Daniels
      • Joan Allen
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Gary Ross
    • Writer
      • Gary Ross
    • Stars
      • Tobey Maguire
      • Jeff Daniels
      • Joan Allen
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 759User reviews
    • 139Critic reviews
    • 71Metascore
    • Nominated for 3 Oscars
      • 18 wins & 45 nominations total

    Videos2

    Pleasantville
    Trailer 0:31
    Pleasantville
    What to Watch If You Love "WandaVision"
    Clip 2:14
    What to Watch If You Love "WandaVision"

    Photos105

    Joan Allen as Betty Parker
    Jeff Daniels as Bill Johnson
    William H. Macy as George Parker
    Tobey Maguire as David/Bud
    Reese Witherspoon as Jennifer/Mary Sue
    George & Betty
    At the diner
    Bill & Betty
    Betty & Mary Sue
    Betty & Bud
    Bud & Bill in the courtroom
    David and the TV repairman

    Top cast

    Edit
    Tobey Maguire
    Tobey Maguire
    • David
    Jeff Daniels
    Jeff Daniels
    • Mr. Johnson
    Joan Allen
    Joan Allen
    • Betty
    William H. Macy
    William H. Macy
    • George
    Natalie Ramsey
    Natalie Ramsey
    • Mary Sue
    Kevin Connors
    Kevin Connors
    • Bud
    Heather McGill
    • Girl in School Yard
    Paul Morgan Stetler
    Paul Morgan Stetler
    • College Counselor
    Denise Dowse
    Denise Dowse
    • Health Teacher
    McNally Sagal
    McNally Sagal
    • Science Teacher
    Jane Kaczmarek
    Jane Kaczmarek
    • David's Mom
    Giuseppe Andrews
    Giuseppe Andrews
    • Howard
    Reese Witherspoon
    Reese Witherspoon
    • Jennifer
    Marissa Ribisi
    Marissa Ribisi
    • Kimmy
    Jenny Lewis
    Jenny Lewis
    • Christin
    Justin Nimmo
    Justin Nimmo
    • Mark
    Kai Lennox
    Kai Lennox
    • Mark's Lackey #1
    Jason Behr
    Jason Behr
    • Mark's Lackey #2
    • Director
      • Gary Ross
    • Writer
      • Gary Ross
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Since every scene from the middle of the movie on had to be in some way digitally changed to have black and white characters interact with characters who are in color, technically this film had the most digital effects shots until Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999).
    • Goofs
      Various inconsistencies and plot holes (stopped clocks, phantom opposing basketball teams) with the real world are consistent with Pleasantville being a TV world, and hence consistent with the movie.
    • Quotes

      David: David:

      [panicked]

      David: Fire! Fire! Fire!

      [gets to the fire station]

      David: Fire! Fire! Fire!

      [finds the firemen]

      David: Fire!

      [nobody moves]

      David: Fire!

      [they look weirdly at him]

      David: FIRE!

      [still no movement]

      David: Cat...?

      [everybody gets on their feet]

    • Crazy credits
      The New Line logo plays in complete silence.
    • Connections
      Featured in Fiona Apple: Across the Universe (1998)
    • Soundtracks
      Across the Universe
      Written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney

      Performed by Fiona Apple

      Produced by Jon Brion

      Courtesy of Clean Slate/The WORK Group

    User reviews759

    Review
    Top review
    9/10
    A brilliant fairytale..
    I thoroughly enjoyed "Pleasantville" from the 'Once upon a time' through the film fading to black.

    The acting was top notch all around, as was the use of special effects; in very few films has colour been used so effectively that it can convey a story seemingly without help from dialogue or music.

    I can see how some people would perceive it as merely another mouthpiece of liberalism, but I watched it twice, and I only noticed it attacking bigotry and censorship. What was wrong wasn't that these people were living according conservative values, but that they didn't really choose those values in the first place!

    I like the fact that the film was bold, and that it made its point as directly as it contrasted the black and white with the splotches of Technicolour. While "Pleasantville" had little subtlety in its allegory, it was, like any good fairytale, beautiful in its simplicity.

    Nine out of ten =)
    helpful•182
    35
    • nchng
    • Mar 28, 2001

    FAQ3

    • Won't Jennifer's real mother wonder where her daughter is when she is gone for a long time?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 23, 1998 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Плезентвіль
    • Filming locations
      • Petaluma, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • New Line Cinema
      • Larger Than Life Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $60,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $40,584,421
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $8,855,063
      • Oct 25, 1998
    • Gross worldwide
      • $49,805,462
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 4 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • DTS
      • Dolby Digital
      • SDDS
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

    Related news

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