Death wants to get away from the job, as the weight of the job, and all of the pain and suffering that comes with it, is getting to him. Even though Joe tremondously enjoys his time on Earth, there is a bit of a problem, however. This leaves millions of people who should die, in agony, as their pain is not ended when it should be.
Death has a tough choice.
Stay on Earth and he could be happy, or return to his job, and make millions happy. Death, Mr. Grim Reaper himself. Part of Brest's talent, I believe, lies in the fact that each of his films is a little different than what he's done before, and transcends whatever genre it appears to be part of at first glance. However, I think Meet Joe Black will be able to stand apart without too much comparison, as the theme and impact of Joe's choice appears to be much more global and endearing to audiences than the more local choice that Seth was faced with in City of Angels . Well, of course, his role in this movie only stresses how potentially great it might be, as Hopkins has had an excellent knack of choosing excellent movies, and his last movie with Brad Pitt, The Legends of the Fall , was one of the best of the decade, in my opinion.