Common Sense Media Review
By Brian Costello
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Disappointing '90s romantic fantasy has language, sex.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
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Meet Joe Black
What's the Story?
In MEET JOE BLACK, Bill Parrish (Anthony Hopkins) is a successful media mogul who is about to celebrate his 65th birthday in grand style. Meanwhile, his daughter Susan (Claire Forlani) is a med student who has seemingly met Mr. Right (Brad Pitt) in a coffee shop while on her way to work, but after they part ways, it seems that they will never see each other again. Little does Susan know that the man she just met is about to be hit and killed while standing in an intersection, but that night, he appears as a dinner guest of her father's. This guest had first appeared to Bill as a voice in his head, but it doesn't take long for Bill to realize that this voice and this man is none other than Death, who has taken on the body of the man who was struck and killed in traffic, and Death has come to take Bill away. Meanwhile, Susan thinks it's the guy she met at the coffee shop, and Death decides that he wants to go by Joe Black and hang around for a while and learn about life from Bill, love from Susan, and the joys of eating peanut butter from a spoon from Bill's hired help. As Bill's time for departure looms ever closer, he must fend off a hostile takeover of his company from Susan's former fiancé, as Joe/Death begins to feel an increasing attraction to Susan.
Is It Any Good?
A gimmicky premise is made even worse by iffy acting, hilariously bad dialogue, and a slow pace. Not even the acting chops of Anthony Hopkins can rescue Meet Joe Black, a movie that lumbers along back and forth between some sort of romantic dramedy and reflections on Life and Death and What Does It All Mean, Anyway?
Brad Pitt's performance is a real head-scratcher. Why is Death such a spaced-out, wide-eyed goof who develops a fondness for peanut butter? And there were many layers of bad decisions that led to Pitt engaging in a cringe-y "Irie, mon" accent when Death meets a dying elderly Jamaican woman in the hospital where his love interest works. It's three hours long, at least one hour too long for this kind of schlock.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Death is portrayed in Meet Joe Black. How is it considered to be ironic to have an actor like Brad Pitt playing this role?
How does the movie address themes like true love, the purpose of life, and mortality?
In what ways does this movie seem dated? Does it still feel relevant? Why or why not?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : December 20, 1998
- Cast : Brad Pitt , Anthony Hopkins , Claire Forlani
- Director : Martin Brest
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Universal
- Genre : Drama
- Run time : 180 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : Accident scene, some sexuality and brief strong language.
- Last updated : December 21, 2023
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