It's easy for a movie to have a gimmick, more difficult for the gimmick to be pulled off with success, but "Pleasantville" does one better. It uses its gimmick to become what I believe is a modern day classic. This movie is a hybrid of "The Truman Show" and "Back to the Future." Not only is the movie a technical marvel, but the story is fantastic. Blending elements of such historical events as segregation and McCarthyism, this movie tries (and wonderfully succeeds) in showing us what happens when a "perfect" little black and white sitcom community begins to turn to color, simply because its citizens begin to act like real human beings. The movie isn't without it's flaws, is probably fifteen minutes too long, and in the year of "Saving Private Ryan" it's a shame this movie will be overlooked come Oscar time (for Best Picture and all-around great performances, particularly Jeff Daniels). I only hope it receives an ample number of deserved nominations, for this is one of the true masterpieces of American cinema.
Review of Pleasantville
