David (Tobey Maguire) and Jennifer (Reese Witherspoon) Wagner are left home alone by their mother and begin to fight over the TV remote. David wants to watch his favorite show, a 1950s sitcom called Pleasantville, while Jennifer wants to watch MTV. During their fight, the remote breaks an a mysterious TV repairman (Don Knotts) shows up at their door. When they use the remote, the kids are transported into the world of Pleasantville, into the roles of Bud and Mary Sue Parker, the show's main characters and begin living in the utopian world of 1950s's TV. It doesn't take long before their modern views begin to effect the characters around them. Jennifer brings a sexual revolution to the town, while David talks to his boss at the soda fountain Mr. Johnson (Jeff Daniels) about pursuing his passion. Eventually, the kids' TV mom (Joan Allen) and other members of the town see their passion come to life in Technicolor, making their dad (William H. Macy) and other leaders of the old ways not too happy. But will they be able to stop what's opened the eyes of some in Pleasantville?