Reviews

This is the absolute best movie of the summer, barely nudging out "The Matrix." I went into "The Haunting" hoping to be scared and and enjoy a sad, mysterious ghost story. I got neither. "The Sixth Sense" gave me both!!! I missed one of the big "scare" scenes because the tension was so strong - I just couldn't watch the screen, I was so scared! I was peeking out from behind my hands for a good portion of this film!

It would be a crime to say a single word about the plot; in fact, I was rather irritated that the ads for this film show what they do. The writing, acting, and directing are all superb. Perhaps best of all, this story has all the backbone to really hold the film up.

How can I express how GOOD this child actor is??? He has all the believability and strength of Elijah Wood (who got well-deserved top billing over Kevin Costner in "The War") and is perhaps even more appealing. As for Bruce Willis, I initially snickered and hoped I could enjoy the movie "in spite" of him - yet he was marvelous!!! I can't think of anyone who could replace him.

There have been so many disappointing movies out there lately. Help make this worthy film a hit!!! Go see it right away, before anything you hear or read can give away even a sliver of detail!

Pleasantville is a bit erratic. It begins as a funny/amusing fantasy/comedy, but that soon fades away. I don't mind that it became "heavier," tried to say something more, but the message of the film really bothered me.

As the film starts, David sees a world of violence, STDs, danger, and heartbreak. He turns up "Pleasantville" to drown out the sounds of his divorced mother screaming into the phone at her ex about her new boyfriend. The audience begins to think, "Okay, this film will be about finding wholesomeness and innocence again."

David, who craves innocence (his sister points out that he "really, seriously likes the way these people live" once they arrive in Pleasantville), and Jennifer, who finds innocence "nerdy and geeky," arrive in Pleasantville. It seems that they will be thrust into '50s culture and have to learn how to live in it. But soon we see that they are actually up against '50s TV culture, in a world where people have to do things by repetition, there is no rain, and there are no toilets. So, I realized, if these kids were going to "do battle" with this black and white culture, it was going to be a fake culture from the start, a fantasy land in which nature doesn't even work right, not a real place.

I expected David to find his peace in Pleasantville, but he just seems mildly amused by the whole experience. Jennifer's reactions and changes are more interesting, as she finally learns that reading, valuing her own potential and intelligence, is what matters.

But, as has been pointed out by other IMDB users, the reasons for the characters' growth/color change are vast and different. Apparently sex outside of marriage is "deep inner growth" for some teens; adultery in Mrs. Parker and Mr. Johnson represents a wonderful growth for them; screaming and yelling make the mayor become who he really is; and yet reading is what makes Jennifer "find herself," David must stand up and defend someone to become his best self, and finding respect and love for his wife makes Mr. Parker into a real person. Why does the emphasis go both ways? "If you're a slut, read more books?" "If you read too many books, go have sex?" What is the message?

David's peace and satisfaction are the most confusing moment. He and his sister venture into a world of perfect innocence, break up a family, introduce promiscuity (what about the references to STDs at the beginning of the film?), and leave an "enlightened" world behind them. Why does this make them happy? The one place of innocence has been stamped out. Was it a "real", realistic world? No, but as David insisted over and over to his sister early in the film: "They're happy! They're really happy, and you have no right to destroy their universe." If people are innocent and happy, why is it better to bring in this sort of "enlightenment?" As the world becomes "enlightened," fights break out for the first time; boys who used to be innocent about sex begin to gang up on women; marriages that used to be happy fall apart. Is this what we are supposed to want?

I feel that the best moment of hope was lost at the end. When Mr. Parker admits that he loves his wife and turns colored, why not have him go to her, apologize and confess love, and work with her to create a stronger marriage in which they can both be more independent and happy?

The message of "Pleasantville" seems to be that getting what you want first is what's most important, and you should go through anyone to get it, even dumping people and relationships and responsibility if you don't think it will make you happy enough. (Like the reference to a boy quitting his job because he "doesn't feel like it anymore," as if this is a good, positive growth for him.) This film should have been about balance- yes, women deserve more than being confined to the kitchen; people should be able to paint beautiful artwork; we should grow as human beings. But not through the destruction of innocence.

It's got its silly and flimsy moments, but any kids' animated film does. The difference with this one is that the humor is more sophisticated and funny, and the film wipes out the old "fall in love in two seconds" idea by having the kids grow up hating each other and then finally find love and question it in order to make sure their love is true and is for the right reasons. For this reason, the lovers are more believable and sympathetic than almost any other kids' movie characters.

This is quite simply the finest film ever made. There are movies I call my favorites, there are movies I have memorized, there are movies I watch again and again. They may be fun, but there has never, since the invention of the genre, been a film as powerful, as sublime as this one.

Edward Kerr's best work thus far; it's nice to see him as the lead. The casting is superb; the comic timing is excellent. Gina Gershon is delightful. Mary-Louise Parker's character is not as well-developed or explained as the others, but she does her best with the role. James Garner and Kathleen Turner are absolutely perfect. Overall, a funny, interesting film well worth watching.