Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.5

Pleasantville Blu-ray Movie Review

"Sure! Big beautiful set like that? You want something that'll put you right in the show..."

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown February 8, 2011

Has there ever been such a thing as "the good ol' days?" Old men have long told tall tales of their idyllic youths, but their fathers did the same, as did their fathers before them. The good ol' days have always been and will always be a myth; an insatiable yearning for a simpler time when the weight of adulthood hadn't been realized, the challenges of parenthood had yet to present themselves and the worries of the world were less pressing. It's a thorny question among many thorny questions Pleasantville tackles in quick succession in what amounts to be a far more meaningful, far more memorable film than the high-concept, low-value comedy newcomers might expect. If only writer/director Gary Ross (Seabiscuit) had figured out a way to navigate the perilous waters between comedy and drama with more finesse...

"We're supposed to be at home, David. We're supposed to be in color!"

Fraternal twins Jennifer (Reese Witherspoon, Walk the Line) and David (Tobey Maguire, Brothers) couldn't be more different. She's obsessed with her social status and popularity at their local high school, he's a socially stifled loner who spends more time watching television than making friends. After one too many arguments leaves their TV remote in pieces, a mysterious repairman (Don Knotts, The Andy Griffith Show) gives the squabbling siblings a strange new remote. Everything goes back to normal... until they use the device. Inexplicably transported into the world of a classic black and white sitcom called Pleasantville, Jennifer and David assume the roles of the children in the beloved Parker family. Their TV dad, traditional family values icon George (William H. Macy, Fargo) and his dutiful wife Betty (Joan Allen, The Bourne Ultimatum) are gracious hosts and don't even notice their kids have been replaced by entirely different people. But when vivid color begins washing away the dull gray hues of Pleasantville, Jennifer, David and their new parents begin to realize the teens' presence and influence is having a profound effect on the town and its residents.

Pleasantville goes from zero to sappy in no time flat but, for once, supercharged sentimentality works in a film's favor. I doubt the same could be said if Ross's fictitious television sitcom hailed from any other era. Setting the show in the '50s works wonders for countless reasons and on a number of levels, the least of which involve the film's striking shifts from black and white to color. Examining the nature and universality of cultural divides with uncanny precision, Ross pits the sweet innocence of the serene world depicted on American television in the 1950s against the realities of a rapidly evolving nation, the disillusionment of two increasingly disparate generations and the earliest seeds of truly comprehensive social and societal freedom (the likes of which had previously been purported but not fully realized). Delving into the delusive aw-shucks dreamscape of Leave It to Beaver and its ilk already requires a certain gooey swagger; doing so while ripping open the floodgates of emotion and fear so deeply embedded in a repressed people only ups the sap factor exponentially. But the Parkers and their neighbors are ripe for change (no matter how much members of their community resist) and Ross uses every slow but sure step to evoke the volatility and social insecurity of the '50s and '60s without invoking the Cold War, the Kennedy Assassination, the Space Race, Woodstock or other specific historical game-changers.

Whether Ross's open-heart sentimentality is warranted or not is a matter of personal taste. His inability to deliver a cohesive tone is a more fundamental issue. Maguire seems the most adept at straddling the chasm between Pleasantville's comedy and drama, but the rest of the cast seems stuck on one side of an ever-widening genre divide. While that comes with the territory for some -- particularly Allen and co-star Jeff Daniels -- it hinders others, leaving many an accomplished actor to choose between overacting or underplaying crucial scenes. Don't get me wrong, the cast's collective performances are moving, powerful even. It's Ross who struggles to transition from one encounter to the next and Ross who has a tough time guiding his film through its identity crises. Knotts's overseer doesn't help matters, even though his connection to the wonder years of American television doesn't go unnoticed. His mystical repairman is an agent of destiny in the vein of Henry Travers's Clarence, but he's also a wizened anomaly of sorts; one who propels the plot along but never finds a proper home in the fable that ensues.

Ross eventually finds his footing though and the second half of his tale proves to be far stronger than the first. While the fate of one chief character always leaves a sour taste in my mouth (in the film's closing moments no less), Pleasantville ends with some degree of poignancy. '50s television may be the vehicle Ross uses to explore dramatic shifts in culture, but he casts a much wider net designed to capture something greater and grander. For the most part, he succeeds.

Pleasantville Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Pleasantville, once brimming with stirring cutting-edge splendor, is rapidly approaching its thirteenth birthday... and it shows. Warner's 1080p/AVC-encoded transfer isn't an outright disappointment, nor is it undone by overzealous edge enhancement or noise reduction. It's simply a fairly faithful but slightly dated presentation that doesn't live up to the standards set by the studio's more essential catalog releases. As far as specific issues are concerned, Pleasantville isn't affected by many -- an uneven grain distracts from time to time, artifacting rears its ugly head here and there, black levels are occasionally muted, and primaries don't pack quite as much visual punch as they do thematic resonance -- but even those it does struggle with aren't deal-breakers by any means. John Lindley's cinematography is as lovely as ever; warm hues, rosy skintones and many a savory shadow allow his color palette to bloom. Midrange grays look wonderful, whites are bright and clean, and contrast is strong and able-bodied throughout. Fine detail isn't what I'd call crisp, but neither is Lindley's original photography. Textures are well-resolved on the whole, object definition is pleasing and the softness that appears is inherent to the film's source. Moreover, banding, aliasing, crush, smearing and other digital oddities aren't a factor.

Pleasantville could benefit from a fresh remaster and a more thorough overhaul, that much is sure. How much it would benefit is more difficult to assess. As it stands, the Blu-ray transfer looks far better than its DVD counterpart and will draw more praise than criticism.

Pleasantville Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Warner's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track isn't going to send chills down anyone's spine, but it is more than adequate, particularly as lossless catalog mixes go. Dialogue has a nice buoyancy to it, voices are clear and sound effects are nimble and convincing. Rear speaker activity leaves something to be desired, lending support to Randy Newman's score above all else, but the resulting soundfield still provides a mildly engaging experience. Directionality is decent, interior acoustics are believable, cross-channel pans are smooth and ambience is reserved but reliable. LFE output is merely serviceable as well, embracing a few select scenes without drawing too much attention to itself. Don't get me wrong: the track isn't mediocre in any sense of the word, it's just a polished and proficient presentation of a largely front-heavy sound mix.

Pleasantville Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Pleasantville strolls into town with the same special features that were included on its original Platinum Series DVD release. Unfortunately, its commentaries fall a bit short, its behind-the-scenes documentary has a somewhat narrow focus and all of the video content is presented in standard definition.

• Audio Commentaries: Two tracks are available -- a dry overview of the production with writer/director Gary Ross and a decent score commentary with composer Randy Newman. Neither one is particularly captivating, and "The Art of Pleasantville" is far more informative and interesting anyway. For true fans only.
• The Art of Pleasantville (SD, 33 minutes): While it primarily focuses on Pleasantville's visual effects, this fairly engaging documentary covers everything from the film's storyboards to its production to the finishing touches Ross and his team used to bring it to life on the silver screen.
• Music Video (SD, 5 minutes): Fiona Apple performs a cover of "Across the Universe" in this music video directed by Paul Thomas Anderson (Magnolia, There Will Be Blood).
• Theatrical Trailer (SD, 3 minutes)

Pleasantville Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Pleasantville suffers through multiple identity crises, but makes it through each one intact. While a more consistent tone and a tighter script would have worked wonders, Ross's high-concept dramedy succeeds. Warner's Blu-ray release could have used some more tightening too. The film's AV presentation is strong but beginning to show its age and the studio's supplemental package is above average but nothing to write home about. Still, anyone who enjoys Pleasantville will enjoy this reasonably priced catalog release.