Great performances; worth the length

Rating: 10/10 (12 January 2000)

I went into this movie skeptical....then it started slow. I didn't see a lot of promise for it, but by the end of the first hour I was completely hooked, and now I've watched this movie countless times.
Great performances all around....and although choosing the best is tough, I'd have to go with Anthony Hopkins. He put on an amazing performance as Bill Parrish, a great character who is very prominent in the emotional climax of the movie.
Brad Pitt was amazing as Joe Black...as has been pointed out in reviews (and in the making-of featurette on the DVD), death is a fairly impossible role to prepare for, but Pitt pulled it off wonderfully. Black is a character that definitely has to grow on you, but once it does, you'll have a great appreciation for Pitt's performance.
Claire Forlani did a good job in keeping up with the great cast all around her. She pulled off Susan Parrish very well, and was believable throughout the film. The character of Susan was one that I didn't particularly care for, but Forlani deserves credit for a very nice job.
This movie is just great all-around...it will invoke every emotion inside of you. Don't let the length deter you...by the end, you'll agree that it was worth every second. Don't let the subject of the movie deter you either....it's far more positive of a movie than you'll expect. I give this movie a 9 out of 10, and strongly recommend it for everyone.