Meet Joe Black (1998)

"What great movies are all about!  Larry King, USA Today

Editor's Note This modern fantasy stars Anthony Hopkins as William Parrish, a wealthy New York City media mogul who suffers a heart attack on the eve of his 65th birthday; although he survives, he senses that his death is near. On the same day, Parrish's younger daughter, Susan (Claire Forlani), meets a handsome young stranger (Brad Pitt) at a neighboring coffee shop and is instantly smitten. As they part, the young stranger is killed and his body is occupied by Death, who is coming to Earth to warn Parrish that his death is, indeed, imminent. Death enters the Parrish household disguised as Joe Black, the handsome stranger, and although Parrish understands Death's intentions he lets the family believe that Joe Black is a young business associate. Susan is shocked to find the familiar young man at her family dinner that evening, and, as she begins a passionate love affair with the debonaire stranger, she has no idea that she has fallen not for the young stranger from the coffee shop but for Death himself. In an effort to prolong his life and his daughter's happiness, William agrees to take Joe on a tour of human life that includes board meetings, family parties, and, ultimately, romance. As long as Joe falls in love, Parrish remains alive. This version was inspired by the Alberto Casella play DEATH TAKES A HOLIDAY and the subsequent 1934 film.

	Anthony Hopkins
	Brad Pitt
	Claire Forlani
	Jake Weber
	Marcia Gay Hardin
	Jeffrey Tambor
	Martin Brest - Director
	Martin Brest - Producer
	Ron Osborn - Screenplay
	Kevin Wade - Screenplay
	Jeff Reno - Screenplay
	Bo Goldman - Screenplay

Entertainment Weekly
"...Hopkins in a performance of great delicacy..." 12/04/1998 p.69

Box Office
"...Powered by a superlative cast and magnificent technical contributions..." 01/01/1999 p.54

Box Office Magazine 0 of 10
Fans of the play and subsequent 1934 Frederic March film Death Takes a Holiday will find few recognizable remnants in the very loose remake Meet Joe Black, an intermittently charming but grossly overlong and over-sentimental romance salvaged only by superior production values and top-notch performances... The film survives its own excesses, powered by a superlative cast and magnificent technical contributions from production designer Dante Ferretti and cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki. With all due credit to both Hopkins and Pitt, however, it is Forlani whose radiance and magnetism help keep the film's dramatic and emotional bearings on course. Unconventionally beautiful and gifted with a talent for conveying a profound sense of sadness, Forlani here makes a move toward superstardom that transcends even the superstars with whom she is teamed. Whether or not such attributes are enough to convince audiences to stay put for what is little more than a 3-hour date flick is another matter. - Wade Major

Chicago Sun Times 0 of 10
Meet Joe Blackis a movie about a rich man trying to negotiate the terms of his own death. It is a movie about a woman who falls in love with a concept. And it is a meditation on the screen presence of Brad Pitt. That there is also time for scenes about sibling rivalry and a corporate takeover is not necessarily a good thing. The movie contains elements that make it very good, and a lot of other elements besides. Less is more... There's so much that's fine in this movie, directed by Martin Brest (Scent of a Woman). Claire Forlani has a touching vulnerability as she negotiates the strange terms of her love. Marcia Gay Harden plays a wise, grownup scene with Parrish, as a loving daughter who knows she isn't the favorite. Jeffrey Tambor's performance is crucial; through his eyes, we understand what a good man Parrish is. And Anthony Hopkins inhabits a story that tends toward quicksand and finds dry land. - Roger Ebert