Year:
1998
Studio:
Universal City Studios/City Light Films
Movie:
4/5
DVD:
2/5
Teaser
William Parrish (Anthony Hopkins) is the CEO of Parrish Communications
and a very rich and influential man. For his upcoming 65th birthday
party his oldest daughter Allison (Marcia Gay Harden) is running
frantic making all of the preparations. Meanwhile his youngest daughter
Susan (Claire Forlani) isn't sure how she really feels about Drew (Jake
Weber), Parrish's groomed replacement when he retires real soon now.
Parrish is at the top of the world -- rich, powerful, loving daughters.
But he doesn't feel right. Something is definitely wrong with him. It's
Death, and it has come for him. Well, not quite yet. Death wants to
experience human life and has chosen Parrish as his guide, taking the
body of a young man and given the name Joe Black (Brad Pitt).
In one of those quirks of fate, Susan had just met Joe (pre-Death) that
morning, and is quite surprised when Joe shows up at the family dinner.
Who is this man who has suddenly and mysteriously become Parrish's
confidant, who has even moved into the manor? Susan is intrigued and
Parrish is apprehensive that Susan is falling in love with the totally
wrong man.
Movie
"Meet Joe Black" is somewhat a romantic story. But it's really about
Death living as a human and finding out what being human means. I
really like this movie and the romance. The mysterious stranger who has
a dark secret that he can't reveal. And even though it's an almost
three hour movie I didn't notice the length -- and that's the mark of a
good movie, or at least one that hits my sweet spots.
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Actors
Brad Pitt is amazingly good in this movie. Sure he has the pretty boy
looks, but he can act and the comparisons to Robert Redford are not
unwarranted. He acts so unhuman and yet human -- Death borrowing a body
and not used to the mannerisms. And not just the obvious mannerisms but
everything, from the way he looks at people to the way he shuffle turns
his whole body instead of just turning his head like a normal person.
Contrast with when he's playing a real person -- he is the new guy in
the city that Susan met at the coffee shop.
Anthony Hopkins also puts a fine performance. Fatherly figure who wants
what is best for his daughters and the company he's built from the
ground up. Claire Forlani is beautiful. Jake Weber plays the bad guy
well -- it's not so much that the character is bad as that he's a
businessman. Marcia Gay Harden has a smaller role and does fine with
it. As does Jeffrey Tambor who plays Allison's husband Quince.
DVD
The DVD provides a wide-screen format of the movie. No commentary
track. Instead we have a 10-minute "Spotlight on Location" featurette.
There are also production notes, cast and filmmaker biographies, and
the theatrical trailer. Not very impressive in the DVD extras
department.
Recommendations
Romantic story. Mysterious all-powerful stranger among sheep. If you
like either of those categories this movie is for you. In fact, I'd
recommend it to almost anyone. |