PLEASANTVILLE -- Gary Ross, dir

©1998
studio: New Line Home Video
production company: Larger Than Life Productions, New Line Cinema
director: Gary Ross
cast: Tobey Maguire, Reese Witherspoon, William H. Macy, Joan Allen, Jeff Daniels, J.T. Walsh, Don Knotts
screenplay: Gary Ross

Two teenagers find themselves in a 1950's sitcom where their influence begins to profoundly change that complacent world.

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I rather wanted to like this movie, but it failed on too many levels. First was the character, played by Don Knotts. I appreciate the "joke" of casting such a familiar figure from the "good old days" of television, but I never understood who he was, why he had the powers that he did. If he was some sort of an "angel" or what have you, why was there ever any question about giving the magic remote to Tobey and Reese?

Reese Witherspoon was never believable ... not as a "slut" and not as a "good girl" (would any person ever really say, "I've done the slut thing"?). And for a television junkie, nerd, Tobey Maguire somehow became too cool.

The absolutely best thing about this DVD was listening to Randy Newman talk for two hours, and occassionally listen to the score he wrote. For Randy Newman, I recommend renting this DVD.