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Meet Joe Black Customer Reviews (52 - 54 of 66 Reviews)

It starts out like a Hitchcock movie with this huge lighted mansion engulfed in the mist. While trying to sleep Hopkins hears voices... Then there's the helicopter scene with Hopkin's telling his daughter Susan to wait for lightning to strike and find her true passion and love in her life - as the helicopter starts to approach Manhatten Island.

The coffee shop scene is classic with Brad Pitt - what a charmer! Susan is swept off her feet after just a few minutes. Then the departure scene - sooo sad... the look on Pitt's face as he watches Susan (Forlani) walk away. Like something from Romeo and Juliet.

The scene where Death meets Hopkins (Bill) and tells him "how it's going to be" is spooky. The following dinner scene is hilarious with everyone watching this "stranger" encounter dinner for the first time.

I loved the humor that Pitt injects into his part of Death, the love Hopkins shows for his family, and Claire Forlani's portrayal of Susan thinking she's found the love of her life and then possibly losing those she loves.

Death played as a gentle, innocent and amusing character made this romantic movie light and enjoyable rather than heavy or depressing.

I especially enjoyed seeing Brad Pitt play a character with so much diversity and play it so well. He shows a lot of maturity as an actor in this role. The love scene was so amazing to watch - you feel the intensity of the moment as first experienced by Death. Actually all the scenes between Pitt and Forlani are wonderful. There's such a feeling of passionate attraction between these two!

The background music for this movie is fantastic, too. It really adds so much emotion to every scene.

Great beginning, great end... inbetween?
Wow, this movie starts of excellent. The story develops at a good pace, it is interesting and I'm excited to watch the rest of the movie. Of course that changes after the coffee shop scene, and it really takes an unexpected turn that makes you completely unaware of what is going to happen afterwards. And unfortunately, not to ruin anything, I didn't exactly think the story was structured well after that. Don't get me wrong, I could see how this would be great as an old, classic story on film, which it is. But my feeling was with such great, modern dramatic set up for a dilemma in the film and the way it made the viewer feel, the real important part of the story seemed mis-developed. I thought Brad Pitt's character was too unknowing and should've been more selectively naive, shall I say. It got irritating and ridiculous to see him fool around for so long, ridiculousness that would make the movie better and more legitimate if it was removed or modified. The movie also tries to take simple and personal exchanges of words realistic and heartfelt, but somehow misses a sense of sincerity that the film possessed at the beginning very well, something that makes them more genuine and basically believeable, which the story relies on very much. Some scenes called for awkwardness between the characters, but the amount of awkwardness was subdued and the result was that it seemed a little silly, like they had more to say. Scenes between Hopkins and his daughters are good, and great acting. But Brad Pitt is unfairly characterized as the good guy in this movie, because anyone who's job, girl, and mentor was being taken by a random punk would be pissed as well. But Brad Pitt is Brad Pitt, and this is his role, which is the producers' fault for not writing a more dynamic and exciting character for him (dynamic in the sense that he pushes dialogue rather than simply observes others for 90 minutes). But hey, I am nitpicking and this is a great movie, different but much better than I expected. I liked the length, and the end is subtle but I think works well. See it for sure, Hopkins is a great actor and you will feel good about the important things in life afterward. Aside from criticism, this movie is really great, and I really got good feelings from it all the way through, including tragedy to (all kinds of) love.

Pure entertainment from beginning to end.
The drama, suspense, humor and sensitivity of the film is excellent. The entire cast is fantastic. Dialog varies from serious, romantic, and sensitive to humorous quips between characters.

The film doesn't rely on gimmicks like car chases and bombs going off. So don't sit back and wait to be wowed by special effects. To fully appreciate this movie you need to pay attention to what's being said. The reward is well worth the effort and you'll enjoy the acting and dialog.

The movie does have some spectacular views of Manhatten, the penthouse and lavish swimming pool, and the country estate approached by helicoptor. The DVD quality is technically excellent -- audio and visuals. It also contains extras including film history for each of the main actors and interesting commentary by actors and the director.

I've seen the movie ("Death Takes a Holiday") that MJB ws based on. I prefer MJB because it portrays life in the 90's -- it's easier to relate to. Even though it deals with the New York elite, it presents issues that are common to most people.

Claire Forlani is wonderful to watch. She portrays an intelligent, sensitive and fun character. Hopkins performance is amazing as always. My favorite scene is when he describes what his wife was like. It's so real as he wipes away the tears. A very touching scene.

The most impressive acting is by Brad Pitt. He has such diversity and range. His gestures, facial expressions, tone of voice are always in command. He plays someone confident, powerful, and in complete control. Yet he has a schoolboy quality when interacting with Susan. He seems vulnerable, clueless, naive, easily embarrased, and shy. The combination of qualities that Susan (Claire Forlani) finds so seductive and charming, yet mysterious. The attraction between these two is so intense. It's wonderful to watch them fall in love.

The interaction between Pitt and Hopkins is also fascinating. At first Joe (Pitt) is very stern explaining that "nothing is negotiable". As time goes on the tension builds between the two and finally mild mannered Joe has had enough -- telling Hopkins "how it is going to be" in a polite but forceful way. The vocal range goes from soft-spoken to fully raised voice and back again.

There is quite a bit of humor sprinkled throughout the movie to keep it light. I missed some of it the first time I saw the movie. While watching it later, I found some parts hilarious - especially the peanut butter scene in the kitchen and by the pool. What a ham (Pitt). He certainly plays up the boyish charm. He takes everything people say literally. In a way it pokes fun at familiar sayings. Some of Pitts behavior reminds me of Stanley Laurel (Laurel & Hardy). Maybe it's the slight English manner. I also cracked up when Pitt started speaking in Jamaican dialect.

It was interesting how mood was set using lighting (or makeup). When Hopkins first meets Joe, he has a very cold look with dark eyes and a stare that never blinks. Throughout the movie, Joe is a pleasant soft spoken character who smiles constantly - someone you would not normally associate with death. Later on, Susan looks at Joe and realizes that he's not there. His makeup is dull (or grey) - he looks ill. It's subtle but very eiry to see the transition.

Then there's the music. What a fantastic score and such variety! The movie is full of background music to set the mood. It's great to listen to -- even as the credits roll there's a really upbeat number playing. The movie is great from beginning to end.