Ever had that weird feeling where you’re watching a movie and you can’t tell if it’s a total masterpiece or just a really long, expensive fever dream? That’s basically the vibe when you’re meeting with Joe Black for the first time. Released in 1998, this three-hour behemoth directed by Martin Brest—the same guy who did Scent of a Woman—is a strange, beautiful, and sometimes baffling meditation on what it means to actually be alive.
People love to joke about the peanut butter scene. You know the one. Brad Pitt, playing Death in a human suit, discovers the creamy joy of a spoonful of Jif and looks like he’s just seen the face of God. It’s goofy. It’s lingering. And honestly, it’s the perfect metaphor for the whole movie: a supernatural entity trying to figure out how to be a person while the clock is ticking for everyone else.
Why Meeting With Joe Black Still Divides Audiences
If you look at the reviews from back in the day, they were all over the map. Roger Ebert actually liked it, giving it three stars, but he definitely poked fun at how long it took for anything to happen. He called it a "meditation on the screen presence of Brad Pitt," which is basically code for "the camera spends ten minutes looking at his face while he says nothing."
The plot is fairly simple despite the runtime. Bill Parrish, a media mogul played by Anthony Hopkins with that classic, heavy-breathing gravity he does so well, is about to turn 65. Then, Death shows up. But Death doesn't just take him; he wants a tour. He wants to know what all the fuss is about regarding being human. So he takes over the body of a guy who just got obliterated by two cars in one of the most unintentionally hilarious CGI accidents in cinema history.
The Deal on the Table
- The Trade: Death (Joe) stays on Earth as Bill’s guest.
- The Perk: Bill gets a few extra days of life to wrap up his business merger and say goodbye to his family.
- The Catch: Joe starts catching feelings for Bill’s daughter, Susan, played by Claire Forlani.
This setup leads to some of the most awkward dinner parties ever filmed. Joe is stiff, cold, and doesn't understand social cues. Imagine trying to explain a corporate merger to a guy who is literally the end of all things. It’s kind of brilliant in its absurdity.
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The Performance Everyone Loves to Hate
Let's talk about Brad Pitt’s acting here because people are still fighting about it in 2026. Some say he’s "execrable"—that’s a direct quote from critic James Berardinelli. Others argue he was doing something genius. If you’re playing a cosmic force that has never lived in a body, wouldn't you be a little twitchy? Wouldn't you stare at a spoon like it’s alien technology?
The contrast between him and Hopkins is wild. Hopkins is doing the most "human" thing possible: grappling with legacy and the fear of the unknown. Meanwhile, Pitt is playing a blank slate.
Then there’s the Patois. Oh boy. Joe goes to a hospital and meets a dying Jamaican woman. He starts speaking in a thick Jamaican accent to comfort her. It is... a choice. Some viewers find it touching because he's connecting with her on a spiritual level, while others just find it incredibly cringe-inducing. Honestly, it’s probably both.
What Really Happened With That Ending?
One thing that makes meeting with Joe Black so memorable is the sheer emotional weight of the final act. Most movies would rush through the "goodbye" phase, but Martin Brest lets it breathe until it almost suffocates you.
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The birthday party is peak 90s opulence. Fireworks, a full orchestra, and a mansion (the Aldrich Mansion in Rhode Island, for the trivia buffs) that looks like it cost more than the movie's $90 million budget. Bill Parrish knows he’s leaving. He has to settle a boardroom coup led by the "oleaginous" Drew—played by Jake Weber—and then walk into the darkness.
The Problem With Susan's Love
This is the part that bugs a lot of people. Susan falls in love with Joe. But is she in love with Death, or is she in love with the "Coffee Shop Guy" whose body Joe is wearing?
When the real guy comes back at the end—clueless about the last few days—she just accepts him. It’s a bit of a head-scratcher. Did she lose the love of her life (the entity) only to settle for a stranger who looks like him? Or did Death "reset" the timeline? Fans on Reddit have been debating this for decades. Some think Joe "telepathically" gave her closure during their last dance. Others think she's just really, really into Brad Pitt’s face and doesn't care who’s driving the car.
The Reality of the Production
The movie was a bit of a "commercial fiasco" domestically, only making about $44 million in the States. It did way better overseas, pulling in nearly $100 million. Universal actually lost a ton of money on it initially.
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One weird fact: the opening weekend numbers were boosted by Star Wars fans. They would buy a ticket to meeting with Joe Black just to see the trailer for The Phantom Menace and then walk out. Imagine being the projectionist and seeing half the theater leave before the movie even starts. Brutal.
Actionable Insights for Your Next Rewatch
If you’re planning on sitting down with this film again, or for the first time, don't treat it like a standard rom-com. It’s more of a tone poem.
- Watch the background: Emmanuel Lubezki was the cinematographer. He’s a legend. The way he uses light and shadows in the library scenes is breathtaking.
- Listen to the score: Thomas Newman’s music is the secret sauce. It’s haunting and grand. It does the heavy lifting when the dialogue gets a bit too "poetic."
- Focus on Allison: Marcia Gay Harden plays the older sister who knows she isn't the favorite. Her scenes with Hopkins are arguably the most honest and heartbreaking parts of the movie.
- Prepare for the length: Seriously. It’s 181 minutes. Don't start this at 10 PM unless you’ve got a lot of coffee.
Basically, this movie is about the "lightning" Bill Parrish talks about. It’s about the fact that life is messy, people are complicated, and death is just a visitor who doesn't know how to eat peanut butter. It’s not perfect, but it’s definitely not boring.
To get the most out of the experience, pay close attention to the dialogue between Bill and Joe in the library. It’s where the real "negotiation" happens—not about money or business, but about the value of a single human breath. Once you see it through that lens, the three hours don't feel quite so long.