Overview
A powerful media tycoon faces an unexpected visitor from beyond, leading to a profound exploration of life and love.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Slow
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- wistful
- contemplative
- romantic
- romantic evening
- reflective weekend
What critics said
Critics broadly found the performances, visual polish, and Thomas Newman's score appealing, but considered the screenplay overextended and the nearly three-hour pacing punishing.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Joe Black is Death personified through the body of a young man, allowing the film to externalize mortality as a character.
William Parrish secures additional time by agreeing to guide Joe through human life before Death takes him.
The audience understands Joe's identity and purpose while Susan believes she is courting an enigmatic young man.
William's birthday, family household, business empire, and social circle become the setting for his confrontation with death.
Films like Meet Joe Black, and why
City of Angels
supernatural visitor, romantic longing, and philosophical reflection on mortality
What Dreams May Come
romantic fantasy built around death, fate, and the value of human life
Wings of Desire
an otherworldly figure enters ordinary human society and develops an emotionally complicated romance
The Ghost and Mrs. Muir
elegant supernatural romance with a heightened meditation on love and mortality
Movie Details
- Director
- Martin Brest
- Release Date
- 1998-11-12
- Runtime
- 178 min
- Rating
- 7.4 / 10 (5964)
Cast
- Brad Pitt
- Anthony Hopkins
- Claire Forlani
- Jake Weber
- Marcia Gay Harden
- Jeffrey Tambor
- David S. Howard
- Lois Kelly-Miller
- Jahnni St. John
- Richard Clarke
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Meet Joe Black about?
- A wealthy patriarch negotiates for more time when Death arrives in a borrowed body and falls for his daughter.
- What is Meet Joe Black like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Meet Joe Black as slow, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Meet Joe Black violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Meet Joe Black as mild.
- What did critics think of Meet Joe Black?
- Critics broadly found the performances, visual polish, and Thomas Newman's score appealing, but considered the screenplay overextended and the nearly three-hour pacing punishing.
- Which films are like Meet Joe Black?
- Films with a similar feel include City of Angels, What Dreams May Come, Wings of Desire, and The Ghost and Mrs. Muir.
- How long is Meet Joe Black?
- Meet Joe Black runs 178 minutes.
- Where can I watch Meet Joe Black?
- In United States, Meet Joe Black streams on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.
