“Pleasantville” review

Pleasantville

What are the immediate differences that strike David and Jennifer between their lives in contemporary American suburbia and the idyllic American life in the 1950s as portrayed in the TV soap Pleasantville.

 

When twins David and Jennifer found themselves magically entering a television show “pleasantville” featuring life in suburban America in the 50s, they have also entered a whole new dimension. The lifestyles in the 50s are more rigid, boring and slow as compared to contemporary  American suburbia.

In the beginning, Jennifer had referred to “pleasantville” as “nerdville”. Being sexy, sophisticated and popular in her school, Jennifer realised that the adults, as well as teenagers in Pleasantville are innocent and naive. They know nothing of sex as adults sleep in separate beds and high school sweethearts think only of holding hands. The American suburbia life, however, is tainted with sex and lust. Jennifer spends her time in school pursuing sexual interests with cool and hot guys while her mother goes out with a boyfriend much younger than her for a mud bath.

 Life in Pleasantville is far simpler and much more predictable than suburbia life. Everyday consists of the same routines for the people in Pleasantville. George Parker will come home from work with the same greeting “honey! I’m Home!” and expect his dinner to be ready. Mr Johnson will keep on wiping the table if David had not come to set out the napkins and glasses. When David suggested to Skip that Mary Sue might not go out with him, he missed a shot during basketball practice. This goes to show that the people in Pleasantville led a predictable and rigid life. If there is any alteration in their routines, they will not be able to adapt and cope well. In a suburbia lifestyle, it is complex, difficult and ever-changing. Jennifer dresses herself up in anticipation of a date with her latest flame, but did not expect her date to call her a “bitch” when she did not answer the door.  The twins’ divorced mother, who had, a few moments ago, been shouting into the phone at their father, was seen crying and struggling to figure out answers about herself and her life. Lifestyle of a person living in the American suburbia is fast and original. Jennifer is popular in school; she is cool with an attitude, living in high school’s fast lane. In Pleasantville, school curriculum consists of nothing besides studying the difference between the two main streets in town, there are no toilets in the bathrooms, and all the books are blank.  A question from Jennifer about what is outside Pleasantville is met with stunned silence. Indeed, the townspeople have no capacity for original thought; there is narrowness in their minds.   

~ by GUOSHU on February 23, 2008.