Barnes & Noble

Even the Grim Reaper deserves a break now and then, and in this provocative drama he assumes mortal form to do just that. Death assumes the body of the recently departed Joe Black in order to move among mortals; and in the title role, Brad Pitt's quiet dignity and unassuming grace carry the movie's fanciful premise. He insinuates himself into the household of his next victim, wealthy industrialist Anthony Hopkins, and as he gradually embraces human emotion, Joe/Death falls hard for Hopkins's daughter (Claire Forlani). Joe Black's script, loosely adapted from the 1934 film Death Takes a Holiday, incorporates several subplots and a plethora of supporting characters, all of which are adroitly juggled by director Martin Brest (Scent of a Woman). The film runs fully three hours, but its length is justified as Brest unravels myriad plot threads and Pitt and Hopkins deliver textured, captivating performances. Unjustly panned by some at the time of its theatrical release, Meet Joe Black tackles an intriguing theme with uncommon sobriety and beguiling charm, and thus is eminently worthy of reevaluation. The Ultimate Edition DVD includes Death Takes a Holiday, along with deleted scenes, script-to-screen comparisons, a photo gallery, production notes, cast-crew biogroaphies, and a featurette on the locations used. Ed Hulse

All Movie Guide

The cycle of life on Earth hangs in the balance when Death becomes emotionally involved in this romantic fantasy. William Parrish (Anthony Hopkins) is a tremendously wealthy and powerful man who oversees a worldwide multi-media empire. Despite the loss of his wife, whom he dearly loved, William is content with his life, and he's very close to his two daughters, Allison (Marcia Gay Harden) and Susan (Claire Forlaini). One night, as William is fighting a hostile takeover of his company and Allison is planning an elaborate party to celebrate her dad's 65th birthday, William begins displaying the symptoms of a severe heart attack, and he is visited by a mysterious stranger, Joe Black (Brad Pitt). Joe is actually the angel of death, who has taken the form of a man who recently passed on to pay William a call. It seems that William is due to move on to the next world, but (no great surprise) he doesn't want to go. Joe, on the other hand, is curious to know what life is like for mere mortals, so the two men strike a deal -- William will have some time to get his affairs in order, and Joe will wait and see what it's like to be a human being. Joe decides that he likes it very much when he falls in love with Susan, but negotiating the slippery slopes of romance is no easier for Joe than for any ordinary man. Meet Joe Black is an updated version of Alberto Casella's play Death Takes a Holiday, which was adapted for the screen in 1934. Mark Deming

Austin Chronicle

It's an elegiac love story from beyond the grave, as appealingly simple as it is emotionally complex. Marc Savlov

Product Details

• UPC: 025192055164
• Source: UNIVERSAL STUDIOS
• Presentation: Wide Screen
• Sound: Dolby AC-3 Surround Sound
• Editions: Subtitled, Dubbed, Special Packaging
• Time: 3:00:00
• Sales Rank: 61,327