For those who appreciate beauty over technicality

Rating: 10/10 (18 March 2002)

Meet Joe Black is a great film. It's way up there in my all time favourites. Never have I seen a film deal with death and love in such a beautiful tender way. The running time allows the film to move at a steady pace, not rushing itself for the sake of those with short concentration spans. Infact the running length is indicative of the entire film for me.
It seeks not to conform but to draw you in. It gives you space and time to watch the characters develop, to show depths and aspects (especially with Pitt) that help you appreciate what is happening. Hopkins is on form here - he leaps on Parrish with passion and takes the dialogue to a level far beyond it's worth on paper. Pitt is also convincing and Forlani is superb.
Much work has gone into this film and I believe it shows. It moves me to tears each time I watch it. It's not perfect - the pay-off towards the end as Pitt reveals himself is disappointing and could have been better executed - but this is secondary to what the film is really dealing with. The core issues of a man coming to terms with a life about to end, the wonder of whether Forlani really did grasp what was happening and more captivated me.
Please do ignore those who whine about having to sit more then two hours to watch a film. This is simply a wonderful film and well worth your time to watch. Just have a box of tissues ready.