A different take on life & love

Rating: 9/10 (14 November 1998)

Meet Joe Black is certainly an original film and idea. Death takes a vacation to see what life is all about, and he ends up falling in love. Sir Anthony Hopkins gives a wonderful performance (as usual) as Bill Parish, the man that Death decides he wants as his guide on Earth, before he takes him. Brad Pitt is a pleasant surprise as Death/Joe Black. A scene in which he tries peanut butter for the first time, he gives off the impression that he truly is having it for the first time. The film's characters tend to say some overly-romantic things that make you wonder if the writers were trying too hard to make sure the audience can see the kind of "head over heels" love they are portraying. Also, there are a few over dramatic moments in which the score is simply blasting overture in order to create a special dramatic moment, that just seems to be pushing it too hard. At just about 3 hours, Meet Joe Black does feel a little long, but you don't seem to feel it until you reach the end. All in all, the film lets you think about how much time you really have and whether or not you can live your life to the fullest in the time that you are here on Earth. The question that you ask yourself at the end as you leave the theatre is, "Has someone thanked me for loving them, and have I thanked someone for being loved?"