An invitation I wish I had declined (Meet Joe Black (DVD))

Member Name: dee778

Product:	Meet Joe Black (DVD)
Date:	29/09/09 (57 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Brad Pitt looks great with his clothes off

Disadvantages: Sadly his acting is not up to his physique

After reading several very positive reviews of 'Meet Joe Black' I decided to watch a film which I had deliberately ignored when it first showed ten years ago on the basis of some fairly harsh criticism from film critics. Although it was praised at the time for an unusual story and inventive characters, many critics felt that its three hour running time was excessive and that the pace was too slow and boring. I was not expecting anything too deep - a basic rom com with a very unusual plot, but even with my fairly low expectations, I was disappointed.

The idea behind this film is interesting, and one with huge potenial. It is the story of Death - an endearing character with very human weakenesses. After thousands of years plodding on at the same old job, Death develops a curiosity about the mortal world, and makes good use of the body of an anonymous young man (Brad Pitt) who has recently been knocked over and killed by a taxi. Before he made this huge decision, Death was in the middle of a job - the job in question being Bill Parrish (Anthony Hopkins) who is in the early stages of a fatal heart attack. Death decides to grant Bill a little more time, in return for becoming part of his family, and allowing Bill to teach him about the pleasures and sadnesses of the world. Taking the name Joe Black, Death proceeds to join Bill at work and at home, eventually and inevitably falling in love with his favourite, and most beautiful daughter Susan, played by Claire Fiorani.

'Meet Joe Black' is a remake of the virtually unknown 1934 film 'Death takes a Holiday' - a far better film in many respects. Death in the original film is played by Fredric March, who gave the role the real charisma and depth that Bradd Pitt is unable to bestow, and 'Death Takes a Holliday' has both more substance and edge than its modern remake.

It would seem that I am one of the very few people who did not enjoy 'Meet Joe Black'. There were certain elements of enjoyment; a muscular young Brad Pitt is very easy on the eye; some of the settings and props (such as the mystical beauty of Bill's Hudson River mansion)are magnificent ; the camera work is professional and creates some very atmospheric scenes. Unfortunately all of this is negated by what is some really uninspired acting. Brad Pitt desperately tries to show some emotion, but fails miserably. After a scene where he makes love to Susan, the camera lingers lovingly in a close up of his face; lower lip vibrating like a tuning fork and eyes very watery, he tries to let the audience know that he is in the throes of a great emotion - but what? It is genuinely very difficult to tell. The usually great Anthony Hopkins has some fantastic scenes, where his love for his daughters shines through and the class of his acting ability dominates - but it sometimes feels as if he has lost faith in the film, as he delivers some of his lines at great speed and with little emotion, as if wanting to get the whole experience over and done.

The film is very ambitious - it tries to show the reaction of somebody who has never experienced life to such sensual pleasures as taste, love, sex and beauty. The film had 4 screenwriters, and this is perhaps the clue to the inconsistencies in Brad Pitt's performance - Death is not humorous, he is not awesome (in the traditional sense of the word), and although he has been around for centuries, he seems to have gained no deep wisdom or sense of justice and evil. He appears in his newly acquired body and behaves like a newborn, innocent about the machinations of sex, unaware of the evils of the business world, and ignorant about all forms of human emotion. The creation of a Death who had seen the extremes of fear, anger and regret - the complex emotions of a human at the end of life - would perhaps be seen by some to be too intense for such a lighthearted film, but in my opinion would have added immensely to the performances.

The film was not a box office success in the US, but did much better elsewhere in the world. Unsurprisingly it has not been nominated for any major awards, but it did have the dubious honour of being nominated in the Worst Remake or Sequel category at the Razzie Awards.

A nomination that reflects my opinion entirely.

~~~

Meet Joe Black was first released in 1999.

It has been given a 12 rating. There are some sex scenes, but no nudity. There is no swearing or violence.

Summary: Give this one a miss