Meet Joe Black (1998) Brad Pitt, Anthony Hopkins, Claire Forlani, Jake Weber, Marcia Gay Harden, Jeffrey Tambor, David S. Howard, Lois Kelly-Miller. Screenplay by Ron Osborn, Jeff Reno, Kevin Wade, Bo Goldman, suggested by the play "Death Takes a Holiday," written by Alberto Casella and adapted by Walter Ferris, and the motion picture screenplay by Maxwell Anderson and Gladys Lehman. Directed by Martin Brest. 174 minutes PG-13, 3.5 stars (out of five stars)
Review by Ed Johnson-Ott, NUVO Newsweekly www.nuvo-online.com Archive reviews at http://us.imdb.com/M/reviews_by?Edward+Johnson-ott To receive reviews by e-mail at no charge, send subscription requests to pbbp24a@prodigy.com
Hours after viewing the sweet reflective fantasy, "Meet Joe Black," my thoughts drifted to the TV series "Star Trek: The Next Generation," with which the film shares structural and thematic similarities. Like "ST:TNG, " the production flips back and forth between its "A" and "B" storylines. If "Meet Joe Black" were an episode of "ST:TNG," the plot summary would read like this: Following an encounter with a mysterious alien, Captain Picard takes a hard look at his own mortality and begins to put his life affairs in order. Meanwhile, the android Data makes a concentrated effort to learn what it's really like to be human.
In many ways, "Meet Joe Black" plays like an exceptionally opulent, and extremely long, episode of "Star Trek: The Next Generation." Both entertaining works star distinguished British actors and convey a positive message in imaginative fashion. Both feature an idealized extended family and unusually literate dialogue. And both productions, while charming, are sometimes overly formal and a bit full of themselves.
Based very loosely on the stodgy chestnut, "Death Takes a Holiday," "Meet Joe Black" introduces William Parrish (Anthony Hopkins), a media tycoon days away from his 65th birthday when he begins to hear a disembodied voice. Death (Brad Pitt) has come to collect Parrish, but the specter has a proposition. Having appropriated the body of a young stud muffin, Death wants to learn about the human experience and would like Parrish to be his guide. If the elderly man cooperates, his life will be extended; by days, maybe even weeks -- as long as it takes for Death to accomplish the goals of his field trip. Parrish agrees and introduces the omnipotent figure to the family as Joe Black ("If I say who you are," Parrish gently explains, "I don't think anyone will stay for dinner").
Joe becomes a constant in Parrish's life, to the consternation of his ambitious second-in-command, Drew (Jake Weber), and the confusion of Parrish's number one daughter, Susan (Claire Forlani). The young physician, romantically involved with Drew, had a brief, but memorable, encounter with the body Joe now inhabits, and finds herself drawn to this beautiful, otherworldly man.
Like "Heaven Can Wait," another romantic fantasy dealing with life beyond death, "Meet Joe Black" features a business magnate making pronouncements that baffle his board of directors, while scheming underlings work against him. Anthony Hopkins is wonderful as William Parrish, creating a rich, warm gentleman of great compassion and dignity. Joe tells him "I chose you [as his guide] for your verve, your excellence and your ability to instruct. You've led a first-rate life." Thanks to Hopkins' great skills, you never for a moment question the wisdom of Joe's decision.
The film's best moments are quiet ones as Parrish prepares to leave this world. There is a moving exchange between him and daughter Allison (Marcia Gay Harden), who has spent weeks arranging an incredibly lavish birthday party for her father. She softly tells him that she understands that Susan is his favorite, and that's all right, because she knows how much her father loves her as well. Harden is excellent, but watch Hopkins during the conversation. He conveys more through minute facial expressions than most actors could do with elaborate speeches.
Brad Pitt receives equal time, but his is the less satisfying of the two storylines. The learning-what-it's-like-to-be-human tale has been told many times before, by everyone from Jeff Bridges in "Starman" to Brent Spiner in "Star Trek." Like those actors, Pitt adopts stiff mannerisms to convey the sense of an alien being mimicking human behavior. His performance is sincere, if at times too mannered and precious. Thankfully, he gets better as the film proceeds and his character grows more comfortable with his form.
Pitt is prettier than any of the women in the cast and his impossibly good looks are sometimes distracting. I found myself wondering how, if Joe needed help fixing his tie, he was able to keep his hair looking oh- so-perfect. Apparently, mousse is much easier to manage than neckties. There are inconsistencies in his language skills as well. Early in the film, Joe doesn't understand a number of ordinary words and phrases, but seems nicely versed in contemporary slang.
Claire Forlani is fine as Susan. Her mannerisms and wispy inflection remind me of a young Dianne Wiest. Marcia Gay Harden is even better as Allison and the always-reliable Jeffrey Tambor gives a good performance as Quince, Allison's well-intentioned, bumbling husband. As Drew, Jake Weber is appropriately prickly, although it's hard to fathom why Parrish wouldn't recognize his obvious bad intentions. And Lois Kelly-Miller is stirring playing a gravely-ill Jamaican woman who recognizes Joe Black for what he really is.
Clocking in at just under three hours, "Meet Joe Black" is a little too leisurely. The film would have benefited from some edits during the mid- section of the story, which sags a bit. To its credit, the production recovers nicely, building to a romantic climax at the birthday party to end all birthday parties, with a lavish fireworks display providing the backdrop for the film's final scenes.
"Meet Joe Black" is the kind of film that initially feels profound, but on later reflection has less substance than its sumptuous presentation indicates. Still, the story provides a lot of reasoned, thoughtful moments, with Anthony Hopkins delivering the lion's share of the rewards. It was nice to meet Joe Black, but much more satisfying to meet William Parrish.
© 1998 Ed Johnson-Ott
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