Meet Joe Black (1998)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Martin Brest

Writers (WGA):

Ron Osborn (screenplay) &
Jeff Reno (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

13 November 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Fantasy | Mystery | Romance | Drama

Tagline:

He's Expecting You.

Plot:

A media mogul acts as a guide to Death, who takes the form of a young man to learn about life on Earth and in the process, fall in love with his guide's daughter.

Plot Keywords:

Jamaican | Affection | Race Against Time | Loss Of Job | Deliberate Cruelty

Awards:

2 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Brad Pitt	...	Joe Black / Young Man in Coffee Shop
Anthony Hopkins	...	William Parrish
Claire Forlani	...	Susan Parrish
Jake Weber	...	Drew
Marcia Gay Harden	...	Allison
Jeffrey Tambor	...	Quince
David S. Howard	...	Eddie Sloane
Lois Kelly-Miller	...	Jamaican Woman
Jahnni St. John	...	Jamaican Woman's Daughter
Richard Clarke	...	Butler
Marylouise Burke	...	Lillian
Diane Kagan	...	Jennifer
June Squibb	...	Helen
Gene Canfield	...	Construction Foreman
Suzanne Hevner	...	Florist

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for an accident scene, some sexuality and brief strong language.

Runtime:

178 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba) | Iceland:L | Canada:14+ (Ontario) | South Korea:15 | Philippines:PG-13 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Germany:6 (w) | Hong Kong:IIA | Hungary:14 | Netherlands:12 | Norway:7 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:12 | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Aldrich Mansion - 836 Warwick Neck Avenue, Warwick, Rhode Island, USA

Company:

City Light Films

Trivia:

The trailer borrows music from the score of Apollo 13 (1995).

Goofs:

Continuity: When Quince is talking to Joe before the party, his wine glass jumps from hand to hand between shots.

Quotes:

William Parrish: You never know, lightning could strike.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006)

Soundtrack:

Can't Help Loving That Man

One of the best films of 1998, I can't praise this film enough!

I must admit to have been slightly hesistant when I first heard about Meet Joe Black because of the subject matter and its length, however I found this film to be superb.

The acting was believable, the cinematography of the film was well thought out and extremely picturesque. The soundtrack by Thomas Newman (the Shawshank Redemption) went from chilling to the most beautiful melodies that I have ever heard (giving, in my humble opinion, any classical composer a run for their money), adding an extra depth to this film.

There are no in-betweens in this film: you WILL either love or hate this film. However, I can say that this film is one of the most uplifting and life affirming movies that I have ever seen. It left me both moved and confident that the world was not such a bad place after all. Just like the Shawshank Redemption told us that hope is not a bad thing, so Meet Joe Black tells us that indeed love can conquer all better than Titanic ever could.