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The old Paramount classic Death Takes A Holiday gets a stylish turn of the 21st century remake, Meet Joe Black with Brad Pitt as the grim reaper himself taking a sabbatical to experience what he deprives everyone of, ultimately. The story has been updated from Italy during World War I to America in the new age of information.
The guy who benefits for a short while is multimillionaire media tycoon Anthony Hopkins who is approaching his 65th birthday. He's a widower with two daughters, Marcia Gay Harden who is married to Jeffrey Tambor and Clare Forlani who's in love with love. In fact at the beginning of the film Clare who is a doctor has a chance meeting with Brad Pitt just before he's rundown in a busy New York street and the pale horseman takes over his body.
It's a good thing Hopkins got this reprieve because there's some real nasty double-dealing taking place in his firm. His young right hand man, Jake Weber, is looking to affect a merger with another conglomerate that would ruin all that Hopkins has built in his life. But Weber of course hasn't the slightest idea who Hopkins's new ally is. Let alone the resources he can bring to bear.
Meet Joe Black is a fine film which has a lot to say about the meaning of life and how important it is to use that time on earth in mortal form to become the best you can be. Pitt and Hopkins have very good chemistry and Webber is one of the slimier villains ever put on film.
And see how it all works out for everyone in the end. In fact that's the real message of Meet Joe Black, it all does work out in the end.
The guy who benefits for a short while is multimillionaire media tycoon Anthony Hopkins who is approaching his 65th birthday. He's a widower with two daughters, Marcia Gay Harden who is married to Jeffrey Tambor and Clare Forlani who's in love with love. In fact at the beginning of the film Clare who is a doctor has a chance meeting with Brad Pitt just before he's rundown in a busy New York street and the pale horseman takes over his body.
It's a good thing Hopkins got this reprieve because there's some real nasty double-dealing taking place in his firm. His young right hand man, Jake Weber, is looking to affect a merger with another conglomerate that would ruin all that Hopkins has built in his life. But Weber of course hasn't the slightest idea who Hopkins's new ally is. Let alone the resources he can bring to bear.
Meet Joe Black is a fine film which has a lot to say about the meaning of life and how important it is to use that time on earth in mortal form to become the best you can be. Pitt and Hopkins have very good chemistry and Webber is one of the slimier villains ever put on film.
And see how it all works out for everyone in the end. In fact that's the real message of Meet Joe Black, it all does work out in the end.
- bkoganbing
- 27 de mai. de 2008
- Link permanente
For a long time I put off watching this, because I have no interest in superficial, teen comedy flicks, as implied by the film's pedestrian title and by the casting of a youthful Brad Pitt. But "Meet Joe Black" is anything but "superficial", and "teen comedy" does not describe this movie at all.
Set in contemporary New York, the film follows a wealthy family whose patriarchal sixty-five year old head, played by Anthony Hopkins, is nearing the end of his life. Enter "Joe Black" (Brad Pitt), a handsome, but enigmatic, young man with an unusual agenda.
This is a thought-provoking movie about mortality and emotional separation. It will appeal to viewers with a reflective and philosophical nature. But the film also has humor, which keeps it from being grim. The pace is slow. There's lots of silence and stillness, entirely appropriate, given the subject matter. Among other things, the film presents the novel idea that a supernatural being can be subject to human emotions, and can make mistakes in judgment resulting from those emotions.
The film is not perfect. The plot is a tad egocentric. There's no reference to the universality and ongoing occurrence of death outside the confines of this family. Also, why now? Why does death choose to engage life in our present world, why not five hundred years ago? Minor script changes could have addressed these issues. The initial meeting between Susan (Claire Forlani) and Joe Black seems a little too convenient, but forms the basis for a plot twist that strengthens the overall story.
The acting is excellent. Anthony Hopkins is, as usual, outstanding. I would not have cast Brad Pitt in the role he plays, but he does a good job. Appropriate for this movie, the acting style for both Pitt and Forlani is one wherein they communicate their characters to viewers largely by means of their eyes, which, as taught by ancient philosophers, are the windows of the soul.
For viewers who liked "The Sixth Sense", another serious film with depth of meaning, I recommend "Meet Joe Black" most highly.
Set in contemporary New York, the film follows a wealthy family whose patriarchal sixty-five year old head, played by Anthony Hopkins, is nearing the end of his life. Enter "Joe Black" (Brad Pitt), a handsome, but enigmatic, young man with an unusual agenda.
This is a thought-provoking movie about mortality and emotional separation. It will appeal to viewers with a reflective and philosophical nature. But the film also has humor, which keeps it from being grim. The pace is slow. There's lots of silence and stillness, entirely appropriate, given the subject matter. Among other things, the film presents the novel idea that a supernatural being can be subject to human emotions, and can make mistakes in judgment resulting from those emotions.
The film is not perfect. The plot is a tad egocentric. There's no reference to the universality and ongoing occurrence of death outside the confines of this family. Also, why now? Why does death choose to engage life in our present world, why not five hundred years ago? Minor script changes could have addressed these issues. The initial meeting between Susan (Claire Forlani) and Joe Black seems a little too convenient, but forms the basis for a plot twist that strengthens the overall story.
The acting is excellent. Anthony Hopkins is, as usual, outstanding. I would not have cast Brad Pitt in the role he plays, but he does a good job. Appropriate for this movie, the acting style for both Pitt and Forlani is one wherein they communicate their characters to viewers largely by means of their eyes, which, as taught by ancient philosophers, are the windows of the soul.
For viewers who liked "The Sixth Sense", another serious film with depth of meaning, I recommend "Meet Joe Black" most highly.
- Lechuguilla
- 15 de jan. de 2005
- Link permanente
Death, who takes the form of a young man (Brad Pitt), asks a media mogul (Anthony Hopkins) to act as a guide to teach him about life on Earth and in the process he falls in love with his guide's daughter (Claire Forlani).
So this is a remake of a movie that was adapted from a play. Typically that could be concerning, as a remake is not often as good as the original. In this case, though, it may even be better... the cast is solid (with Forlani in one of her rare decent roles), and Brad Pitt making a name for himself (as if he has not already).
Really, this is a great display of Pitt's acting. He has solid range here, possibly more than anything else he has done. The character is very complex, and there is the odd twist that Forlani is attracted to him because he looks like someone he is not, and not for any deeper reason. Amazingly, even at three hours, this film never drags.
So this is a remake of a movie that was adapted from a play. Typically that could be concerning, as a remake is not often as good as the original. In this case, though, it may even be better... the cast is solid (with Forlani in one of her rare decent roles), and Brad Pitt making a name for himself (as if he has not already).
Really, this is a great display of Pitt's acting. He has solid range here, possibly more than anything else he has done. The character is very complex, and there is the odd twist that Forlani is attracted to him because he looks like someone he is not, and not for any deeper reason. Amazingly, even at three hours, this film never drags.
- gavin6942
- 15 de jun. de 2016
- Link permanente
Meet Joe Black is a beautiful film with a talented cast. Because it is unique, the plot enables humor to be weaved within the dramatic and romantic elements. The music, composed by Thomas Newman (Shawshank Redemption, Erin Brokovich) truly enhances the movie. The many string and piano melodies are beautiful, and fit smoothly. There are so many memorable moments, like father-daughter conversations, and the scene in the coffee shop. Brad Pitt, in his portrayal of Death,displays naive and vulnerable feelings, skillfully in sharp contrast his behavior at the beginning of the film. While some criticize its length and unrealistic aspects of the plot, I found it to be so captivating and quite well-made. Meet Joe Black has an indescribable effect on me whenever I watch it. The story of Death being apprentice to a respected, accomplished man makes one realize the simple beauties of life-- passion, family, love... and peanut butter.
- PoorSlobWithoutAName
- 10 de dez. de 2002
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- moritzherz
- 14 de mar. de 2024
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Film reviews are irrelevant. Perception is key. Meet Joe Black is a meet on its own. If you are not into romantic tear jerkers, watch this film and find out that your human and have the ability to change your mind. I speak from experience. The story: Simple and easy to understand. The director made a simple life event into a magical experience. Love and death go hand in hand in a mixture of sublime acting, awesome sceneries, superb dialogues, nerve touching details and result in a romantic drama where the happy ending does not cover the sadness and emotions and leaves you choked till the last over the rainbow tune ends. After 40 years of watching thousands of films, this film still is my number 1 film in my top 100 films where all one hundred share the first place. Brad Pitt, Sir Anthony Hopkins (brilliant classical composer btw) and the gorgeous Claire Forlany showed of their qualities. Same for all the other participants in thisepic story about how life will go on. Perception. ... but from my pov their best acting ever. I have seen it at least once every 2 years. If it will be your first time, settle for it. If you are still young, and think you become a film addict, be aware! You will get drawn in this film for decades to come. Enjoy this experience. And let it knock you out as well ☺
- fredschepers
- 18 de jan. de 2020
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- michaelRokeefe
- 21 de jul. de 2006
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- eamon-hennedy
- 16 de nov. de 2003
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- edmbookman
- 30 de jun. de 2007
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- baumer
- 11 de jul. de 1999
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It is a 3 hour movie because they took their time with each scene and I loved it, things are so fast pasted recently in Hollywood films. The minor expressions of the characters are the ones that count the most sometimes even if it takes a bit more time for each scene.
I love how Brad Pitt can embody the character that well. He had the poker face/cold expression the whole time. The way he talked was also interesting. When he was Joe his tone was different than from the guy at the coffee shop.
I also loved the change of the accent when he was at the hospital. Hopkins was a 10/10 as always. I think the roles he picks have part of his dynamic personality. Claire is one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen. And she doesn't have her hair done perfectly or is even wearing earrings or any fancy clothing in most scenes and is still gorgeous. This is hard to achieve for actresses these days. Respect.
I love how Brad Pitt can embody the character that well. He had the poker face/cold expression the whole time. The way he talked was also interesting. When he was Joe his tone was different than from the guy at the coffee shop.
I also loved the change of the accent when he was at the hospital. Hopkins was a 10/10 as always. I think the roles he picks have part of his dynamic personality. Claire is one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen. And she doesn't have her hair done perfectly or is even wearing earrings or any fancy clothing in most scenes and is still gorgeous. This is hard to achieve for actresses these days. Respect.
- maryhatzimanoli
- 28 de dez. de 2024
- Link permanente
Somewhere in the netherworld between being a "remake" and merely "inspired by" Mitchell Leisen's 1934 film Death Takes a Holiday, Meet Joe Black is the story of Death personified. Death takes over the body of Brad Pitt's unnamed character, later donned "Joe Black" by William Parrish (Anthony Hopkins). Although the motivation isn't specified but implied in this film, Death wishes to experience the life he normally takes away--he wants to see what it's like to be human. He chooses Parrish to be his guide because Parrish is a hugely successful media mogul who has conviction, strong "moral fiber" and insight on life. Compounding the situation, Parrish's daughter, Susan (Claire Forlani), is a woman whom Brad Pitt's unnamed character met in a coffee shop that morning and had an instant mutual attraction with. Black sticks close by William's side through much of the film, creating difficult situations at a time when Parrish's company is trying to deal with a financially attractive but ethically unsavory takeover bid, and he also puts the boil to somewhat strained familial relationships.
First, a word of warning. This is a very long film (3 hours), and it tends to be very slowly paced. If you are averse to either, or if you do not like any of the three principalsPitt, Hopkins and Forlani--I'd advise you to avoid the film.
For me, I never think that a film's length is a problem in itself. As long as the film works, I'd be happy with it lasting 4, 5, even 12 hours or more--heck, I even gladly sat through Gettysburg (1993) in the theater. There have been films I've thought were too long (such as Whatever Happened to Baby Jane, 1962), but it's contextual, not related to actual running time.
Helmer Martin Brest directs with a lot of deliberation. Lines of dialogue and responses are stretched out to "infinity and taken to the depth of forever". The camera gives us lots of lingering gazes. There is little to no "action" in the film. Much of it is similar to David Lynch's famed pregnant pauses. Some people hate that style. I love it (although I love other styles, too--I like variety), and for me, the pacing makes this film seem much shorter than its actual running time. It's the complete opposite of the pacing of, say, Medallion (2003), which is interesting given that both films feature Forlani. It's also interesting to note that Brest's career seems to match the pacing of Meet Joe Black. He's taken 2, 4, 5 and 6 years between films. Obviously, Brest is not in a rush.
If you watch Meet Joe Black immediately after watching Death Takes a Holiday, as I did this time around, a few things might strike you as odd and slightly negative at first. The principal difference that had this initial effect on me was the change in the primary romantic relationship--between Joe and Susan (and between Prince Sirki (Frederic March) and Grazia (Evelyn Venable) in the original). In the original, it's ambiguous whether Grazia doesn't recognize Sirki for what he really is all along. She at least never meets him as Sirki rather than Death-as-Sirki. It creates interesting philosophical scenarios about humankind's conception and fear of death; Grazia, who is a bit aloof all along, may be embracing death rather than fearing it, not as something negative, but more metaphysically, as inherent in the idea of life.
In Meet Joe Black, Susan falls for Pitt as another character first. It removes all of the philosophical points about one's attitude towards death (with the exception of William, who is the only one who knows the truth, even in the end, and who implicitly goes through vacillating feelings about death). However, despite my initial hesitation on the change, I tried to remember my commitment to judge each film on its own terms rather than its relation to other works, and I realized that the relationship set up here is interesting for another reason--it explores public identity in relationships and the tensions that arise through dynamicism of that public identity. That's a theme throughout the film, not just in its romantic relationships.
Pitt has often been criticized for his performance here, but in my opinion, it's perfect for the character(s)--just as good in its own way as March's turn as Sirki in the original. Once Pitt as Death takes over "Joe Black's" body, he _must_ change his persona in the way he does. He's supposed to be a supernatural being who normally relates to the world in a completely different way, but now he's suddenly made corporeal. He doesn't know what to do as a human. As an entity, he's not daft, lacking power or unknowledgeable about many things, but he's incredibly naïve and awkward as a thing of flesh. He's not used to relating to the world in that way. He's not used to making facial expressions. He's never tasted food, and so on. The change he undergoes in the beginning and end of the film is amazing and shows just how skilled Pitt is.
Hopkins and Forlani are of course no slouches, either. Hopkins' ability to go from understated and elegant to manic is put to good use; the role seems tailor-made for him. Forlani, who has a very unusual but intriguingly beautiful face that always looks a bit pouty, gets to pout even more, creating a bizarrely complex but effective character. The rest of the primary cast is just as good. The end result is a strangely dysfunctional family with a lot of depth.
While I can see people preferring Death Takes a Holiday to this film, for me, Meet Joe Black is slightly better. It's much more epic, of course, and that scope, plus the incredible score by Thomas Newman, pushes its emotional effectiveness up a notch. But make sure you do not miss either film. Both are excellent and unusual.
First, a word of warning. This is a very long film (3 hours), and it tends to be very slowly paced. If you are averse to either, or if you do not like any of the three principalsPitt, Hopkins and Forlani--I'd advise you to avoid the film.
For me, I never think that a film's length is a problem in itself. As long as the film works, I'd be happy with it lasting 4, 5, even 12 hours or more--heck, I even gladly sat through Gettysburg (1993) in the theater. There have been films I've thought were too long (such as Whatever Happened to Baby Jane, 1962), but it's contextual, not related to actual running time.
Helmer Martin Brest directs with a lot of deliberation. Lines of dialogue and responses are stretched out to "infinity and taken to the depth of forever". The camera gives us lots of lingering gazes. There is little to no "action" in the film. Much of it is similar to David Lynch's famed pregnant pauses. Some people hate that style. I love it (although I love other styles, too--I like variety), and for me, the pacing makes this film seem much shorter than its actual running time. It's the complete opposite of the pacing of, say, Medallion (2003), which is interesting given that both films feature Forlani. It's also interesting to note that Brest's career seems to match the pacing of Meet Joe Black. He's taken 2, 4, 5 and 6 years between films. Obviously, Brest is not in a rush.
If you watch Meet Joe Black immediately after watching Death Takes a Holiday, as I did this time around, a few things might strike you as odd and slightly negative at first. The principal difference that had this initial effect on me was the change in the primary romantic relationship--between Joe and Susan (and between Prince Sirki (Frederic March) and Grazia (Evelyn Venable) in the original). In the original, it's ambiguous whether Grazia doesn't recognize Sirki for what he really is all along. She at least never meets him as Sirki rather than Death-as-Sirki. It creates interesting philosophical scenarios about humankind's conception and fear of death; Grazia, who is a bit aloof all along, may be embracing death rather than fearing it, not as something negative, but more metaphysically, as inherent in the idea of life.
In Meet Joe Black, Susan falls for Pitt as another character first. It removes all of the philosophical points about one's attitude towards death (with the exception of William, who is the only one who knows the truth, even in the end, and who implicitly goes through vacillating feelings about death). However, despite my initial hesitation on the change, I tried to remember my commitment to judge each film on its own terms rather than its relation to other works, and I realized that the relationship set up here is interesting for another reason--it explores public identity in relationships and the tensions that arise through dynamicism of that public identity. That's a theme throughout the film, not just in its romantic relationships.
Pitt has often been criticized for his performance here, but in my opinion, it's perfect for the character(s)--just as good in its own way as March's turn as Sirki in the original. Once Pitt as Death takes over "Joe Black's" body, he _must_ change his persona in the way he does. He's supposed to be a supernatural being who normally relates to the world in a completely different way, but now he's suddenly made corporeal. He doesn't know what to do as a human. As an entity, he's not daft, lacking power or unknowledgeable about many things, but he's incredibly naïve and awkward as a thing of flesh. He's not used to relating to the world in that way. He's not used to making facial expressions. He's never tasted food, and so on. The change he undergoes in the beginning and end of the film is amazing and shows just how skilled Pitt is.
Hopkins and Forlani are of course no slouches, either. Hopkins' ability to go from understated and elegant to manic is put to good use; the role seems tailor-made for him. Forlani, who has a very unusual but intriguingly beautiful face that always looks a bit pouty, gets to pout even more, creating a bizarrely complex but effective character. The rest of the primary cast is just as good. The end result is a strangely dysfunctional family with a lot of depth.
While I can see people preferring Death Takes a Holiday to this film, for me, Meet Joe Black is slightly better. It's much more epic, of course, and that scope, plus the incredible score by Thomas Newman, pushes its emotional effectiveness up a notch. But make sure you do not miss either film. Both are excellent and unusual.
- BrandtSponseller
- 24 de abr. de 2005
- Link permanente
A great film that is very ordinary and what I mean by that is, it celebrates normality unlike most movies these days. I felt it was slow-paced, given that we expect movies to show and make us feel things we will never have and make us forget our own reality and the truth of how limited time we have, which this flick is good 3-hour reminder of. Enjoy the small things like peanut butter ;) and live everyday like it's your last.
- shreyashukla1
- 26 de mar. de 2020
- Link permanente
- SnoopyStyle
- 29 de dez. de 2014
- Link permanente
Whenever this film is aired, I'm drawn to watch it. The pace, like life, is slow. Some people find this to be a problem. I feel sorry for those people; maybe they've been so saturated by "fast food" films and reality TV that they think that's the way life is supposed to be. Unlike life, the film has no "wasted space". So, while it may seem too long for theatre viewing, it's plenty short for sitting back in an easy chair for three hours and just letting it draw you in--with the excellent dialogue (including the Patois), excellent performances by truly talented actors, and above all the [again] excellent score by Mr. Newman. If you're a romantic not just about love, but also about life, then treat yourself and watch it.
- lmoore520
- 12 de out. de 2004
- Link permanente
I didn't think I'd like this movie, but once i watched it I was hooked! Brad Pitt really made it feel like he was death - not acting as death. And this film also for the time being made me not afraid of dying. I love the acting, the storyline, everything!
My rating 10/10 just excellent!
My rating 10/10 just excellent!
- rooboy84
- 18 de jun. de 2002
- Link permanente
I first watched meet joe black when it was released. I was in my late 20's and it deeply touched me. Not a movie
Now years have gone by and I am a father of a young lady in her 20's. Now it is one of my all time favorites and watch it once a year. My perspective has deepened (as a father) and my approach is way more sensible.. it is a wonderful movie, not sure I can express how it touches my soul in words. It puts a smile on my face, ache in my heart and fatherhood sentiments like no other movie does (Except for *The Judge* movie).
The most hardest thought and heaviest thought in life is a father's thought of departure from his own kids. With this said, I wish all the fathers out there the best.
Now years have gone by and I am a father of a young lady in her 20's. Now it is one of my all time favorites and watch it once a year. My perspective has deepened (as a father) and my approach is way more sensible.. it is a wonderful movie, not sure I can express how it touches my soul in words. It puts a smile on my face, ache in my heart and fatherhood sentiments like no other movie does (Except for *The Judge* movie).
The most hardest thought and heaviest thought in life is a father's thought of departure from his own kids. With this said, I wish all the fathers out there the best.
- oneharleyrocker
- 20 de dez. de 2023
- Link permanente
It's LONG. 180 minutes long. Personally, I think the way Martin Brest stretched out the scenes was additive to the movie rather than destructive. Brad Pitt plays the character of death (as written) marvelously, and Claire Forlani is above acceptable as Susan, but not exactly Oscar material either. Hopkins and Jake Weber (Drew) run away with the plot, Weber ranks next to Billy Zane (Cal from _Titanic_) as Hollywood's next great bad guy. Incredibly solid technically, the camera work and sets are incredibly well done, and it's very nice to see a beautiful movie that wasn't created on a Macintosh or Silicon Graphics computer in some studio, but in front of a real camera.
- lj-8
- 15 de nov. de 1998
- Link permanente
This film caught me off-guard. I wasn't prepared for the impact it had on me. A wonderful sensation permeates this story in which Death takes a body to wear (I would like to choose too...) to discover what its like to be a human being. Hopkins and Pitt act like they've never done anything else - they are brilliant. If you doubt my words, watch the first 15 minutes and tell me: don't you get goose bumps when Hopkins hears Death whisper in his ear? I sure did. I hail this film as one of the best - ever.
- Rammstein-2
- 10 de jan. de 2000
- Link permanente
Meet Joe Black is confusing. If you are the kind of person who enjoys a movie where you have to try to determine what you believe the meaning of the story is, then you will like this film. If you would rather watch a movie that has a straightforward story, then avoid this completely.
I am personally not a huge fan of films like this. Generally, I see them as a gimmick to lovers of old literature who enjoy acting like a sleuth in figuring out what the story means. I used to enjoy doing that in my literature classes in college, but don't enjoy that with films.
Brad Pitt plays Death, who comes to visit Anthony Hopkins for a week or so before Hopkins is to die. Somewhere along the way, Hopkins is supposed to have a revelation about what life means, and I suppose the audience is supposed to as well. It is all rather confusing as to what we are supposed to learn. This film is definitely trying to convey a message, but you have to decipher what it is and quite frankly, it is not that awe inspiring of a message.
With this said, Pitt really is incredible in this film. It is one of his best all-time performances and he has great chemistry on screen with Hopkins. Hopkins, as usual, is also excellent. If it wasn't for the great acting and chemistry of these to performers, I would have stopped watching the movie. As it turned out, I enjoyed watching the film in its entirety just to see these two work. Rating 7 of 10 stars.
I am personally not a huge fan of films like this. Generally, I see them as a gimmick to lovers of old literature who enjoy acting like a sleuth in figuring out what the story means. I used to enjoy doing that in my literature classes in college, but don't enjoy that with films.
Brad Pitt plays Death, who comes to visit Anthony Hopkins for a week or so before Hopkins is to die. Somewhere along the way, Hopkins is supposed to have a revelation about what life means, and I suppose the audience is supposed to as well. It is all rather confusing as to what we are supposed to learn. This film is definitely trying to convey a message, but you have to decipher what it is and quite frankly, it is not that awe inspiring of a message.
With this said, Pitt really is incredible in this film. It is one of his best all-time performances and he has great chemistry on screen with Hopkins. Hopkins, as usual, is also excellent. If it wasn't for the great acting and chemistry of these to performers, I would have stopped watching the movie. As it turned out, I enjoyed watching the film in its entirety just to see these two work. Rating 7 of 10 stars.
- treeskier802
- 1 de jul. de 2007
- Link permanente
The bottom line, having seen this film over a dozen times and watching it again, experiencing it for the first time. This film is so utterly moving. It has near perfect cinematography and even better lighting. Every shot has so much depth and they took such care in the composition.
The score is absolutely flawless. It informs the characters emotions and causes an inner reflection in the viewer that rivals several John Barry scores.
Claire Forlani is absolutely perfect in this role. Her eyes grab you and allow you to see such vulnerability that few performances have matched. Some of the best scenes involve supporting roles. Marcia Gay Harden is a pro and some of the most touching moments she grabs a hold of. It all comes from a very real place, and is exciting to watch.
I've read some pretty brutal reviews. I just don't think they come from a place where the person wants to sit down and watch a 3 hour love story with fantasy elements. Moreover, the reviews are so tome deaf, and reek of jealousy. You have to let yourself into these characters lives to fully appreciate it.
If Euphoria is your taste this is definitely not for you,
This is a story about a man who loved his wife, adores his daughters and has had a very successful existence. It's about being able to hold on, and have the courage and gratitude to let go.
The score is absolutely flawless. It informs the characters emotions and causes an inner reflection in the viewer that rivals several John Barry scores.
Claire Forlani is absolutely perfect in this role. Her eyes grab you and allow you to see such vulnerability that few performances have matched. Some of the best scenes involve supporting roles. Marcia Gay Harden is a pro and some of the most touching moments she grabs a hold of. It all comes from a very real place, and is exciting to watch.
I've read some pretty brutal reviews. I just don't think they come from a place where the person wants to sit down and watch a 3 hour love story with fantasy elements. Moreover, the reviews are so tome deaf, and reek of jealousy. You have to let yourself into these characters lives to fully appreciate it.
If Euphoria is your taste this is definitely not for you,
This is a story about a man who loved his wife, adores his daughters and has had a very successful existence. It's about being able to hold on, and have the courage and gratitude to let go.
- redroominparis
- 14 de ago. de 2023
- Link permanente
I have just seen the movie on TV. It is telling the story in a little bit slow way, but still it is worth seeing. The movie is much better than I expected... Love will always have a place in every heart, even if we know what it takes. I agree with the idea "Every one has secrets and we have to find a way to face our secrets"... I liked the relation of Joe Black with the old woman the most. She was the one that knows the real life. May be that's why she understood that he is the angel of death... The time for every one comes, whether we like it or not... It is amazing to realise what we have before it is too late for us and in Joe Black we see the relation of love, life and death in a very logical way...
- thekhan23
- 11 de dez. de 2005
- Link permanente
- ilovedavii
- 5 de dez. de 2016
- Link permanente
Anthony Hopkins is resplendent and regal as a 65-year old communications tycoon who wakes one morning with pains and is hearing voices; turns out his time has come to check out, but the personification of Death ("a kid in a suit", Hopkins says) has decided to take a vacation and allow Hopkins a chance to say goodbye. The 1934 movie "Death Takes a Holiday", which was based on a hit play from the 1920's, was certainly ripe for a re-imagining, and that job has been accomplished here very well. Brad Pitt's Grim Reaper is a bit like Peter Sellers in "Being There", a wide-eyed innocent and fish-out-of-water; to his credit however, Pitt doesn't rely on coy shtick and has a few excellent moments (particularly with an ill Jamaican woman in the hospital). A romantic subplot between Pitt and Hopkins' youngest daughter is handled with exasperating taste, prolonging the proceedings to an inordinate length (and capping the movie with a ridiculous final ten minutes), but Anthony's glorious performance remains the centerpiece of the film and it's worth watching just to see the master at work. **1/2 from ****
- moonspinner55
- 3 de fev. de 2007
- Link permanente
Let's be clear. I am an old boring married guy. I watched all three films of The Human Condition with rapt attention. I can do long, slow, subtle. I am not to the best of my knowledge bereft of spirit as many reviews accuse others of.
But this? Maudlin. Boring. Hamhanded. Too long by a factor of ten. I mean, so badly paced I was bored after 20 minutes, then noticed it's Three Hours Long.
Once I was about 45 minutes in and started getting the gist of the characters, I could figure out a better way to write about half the lines. The "death and taxes" callback in a movie that respected our intelligence should have been "only two things in life are inevitable, Drew."
Oh, except for Death. He was... conveniently written. Unaware AND all knowing. Sometimes in the same sentence. Things this contrived do not work to make me get absorbed into a film.
Well acted by pretty much everyone (Brad Pitt was... not well characterized so I didn't like him one bit in either role, but that's probably not his fault). Even the supporting characters did a great job. But terrible script, terribly edited, and I don't care what anyone says: quite pedestrian cinematography.
But this? Maudlin. Boring. Hamhanded. Too long by a factor of ten. I mean, so badly paced I was bored after 20 minutes, then noticed it's Three Hours Long.
Once I was about 45 minutes in and started getting the gist of the characters, I could figure out a better way to write about half the lines. The "death and taxes" callback in a movie that respected our intelligence should have been "only two things in life are inevitable, Drew."
Oh, except for Death. He was... conveniently written. Unaware AND all knowing. Sometimes in the same sentence. Things this contrived do not work to make me get absorbed into a film.
Well acted by pretty much everyone (Brad Pitt was... not well characterized so I didn't like him one bit in either role, but that's probably not his fault). Even the supporting characters did a great job. But terrible script, terribly edited, and I don't care what anyone says: quite pedestrian cinematography.
- shoobe01-1
- 3 de jun. de 2021
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