Death, who takes the form of a young man killed in an accident, asks a media mogul to act as his guide to teach him about life on Earth and, in the process, he falls in love with the mogul's... Read allDeath, who takes the form of a young man killed in an accident, asks a media mogul to act as his guide to teach him about life on Earth and, in the process, he falls in love with the mogul's daughter.Death, who takes the form of a young man killed in an accident, asks a media mogul to act as his guide to teach him about life on Earth and, in the process, he falls in love with the mogul's daughter.
- Awards
- 3 wins & 6 nominations total
- Madeline
- (as Madeline N. Balmaceda)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe elderly Jamaican lady, Lois Kelly-Miller, was considered a national treasure in Jamaica. Sadly, she passed away in 2020 at the age of 102.
- GoofsJust after Joe steps out of the crosswalk to watch Susan walk away, a man wearing a pink shirt walks behind him. There's a brief shot of Susan, and then the man in the pink shirt walks behind Joe again in the same direction.
- Quotes
William Parrish: Love is passion, obsession, someone you can't live without. I say, fall head over heels. Find someone you can love like crazy and who will love you the same way back. How do you find him? Well, you forget your head, and you listen to your heart. And I'm not hearing any heart. Cause the truth is, honey, there's no sense living your life without this. To make the journey and not fall deeply in love, well, you haven't lived a life at all. But you have to try, cause if you haven't tried, you haven't lived.
- Alternate versionsTV version shortens the scene when Joe is hit by the cars.
- SoundtracksTop Hat, White Tie, And Tails
Written by Irving Berlin
Set in contemporary New York, the film follows a wealthy family whose patriarchal sixty-five year old head, played by Anthony Hopkins, is nearing the end of his life. Enter "Joe Black" (Brad Pitt), a handsome, but enigmatic, young man with an unusual agenda.
This is a thought-provoking movie about mortality and emotional separation. It will appeal to viewers with a reflective and philosophical nature. But the film also has humor, which keeps it from being grim. The pace is slow. There's lots of silence and stillness, entirely appropriate, given the subject matter. Among other things, the film presents the novel idea that a supernatural being can be subject to human emotions, and can make mistakes in judgment resulting from those emotions.
The film is not perfect. The plot is a tad egocentric. There's no reference to the universality and ongoing occurrence of death outside the confines of this family. Also, why now? Why does death choose to engage life in our present world, why not five hundred years ago? Minor script changes could have addressed these issues. The initial meeting between Susan (Claire Forlani) and Joe Black seems a little too convenient, but forms the basis for a plot twist that strengthens the overall story.
The acting is excellent. Anthony Hopkins is, as usual, outstanding. I would not have cast Brad Pitt in the role he plays, but he does a good job. Appropriate for this movie, the acting style for both Pitt and Forlani is one wherein they communicate their characters to viewers largely by means of their eyes, which, as taught by ancient philosophers, are the windows of the soul.
For viewers who liked "The Sixth Sense", another serious film with depth of meaning, I recommend "Meet Joe Black" most highly.
- Lechuguilla
- Jan 15, 2005
- Permalink
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official site
- Languages
- Also known as
- ¿Conoces a Joe Black?
- Filming locations
- Aldrich Mansion - 836 Warwick Neck Avenue, Warwick, Rhode Island, USA(William Parrish's mansion)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $90,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $44,619,100
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $15,017,995
- Nov 15, 1998
- Gross worldwide
- $142,940,100
- Runtime2 hours 58 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1