Meet Joe Black

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2:26

Meet Joe Black

PG-13

1998

3h 0m

Fantasy

Romance

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

48%

Tomatometer

52 Reviews

81%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

Bill Parrish (Anthony Hopkins), businessman and devoted family man, is about to celebrate his 65th birthday. However, before he reaches that landmark, he is visited by Death (Brad Pitt), who has taken human form as Joe Black, a young man who recently died. Joe and Bill make a deal: Bill will be given a few extra days of his life, and Joe will spend the same time getting to know what it's like to be human. It seems like a perfect arrangement, until Joe falls in love -- with Bill's daughter.

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Critics Consensus

Meet Joe Black is pretty to look at and benefits from an agreeable cast, but that isn't enough to offset this dawdling drama's punishing three-hour runtime.

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Joe Clay

The Times (UK)

Mar 28, 2023

[A] glossy but overlong update of Mitchell Leisen’s 1934 comedy Death Takes a Holiday.

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Lisa Alspector

Chicago Reader

Oct 26, 2020

A savory, extralong feature whose obvious plotlines unfold with an almost painful slowness that somehow makes them deeper.

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Ann Hornaday

Baltimore Sun

Oct 26, 2020

1/4

To call the three-hour-long "Meet Joe Black" leaden would do an injustice to lead.

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Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

Jun 9, 2025

3/5

...Meet Joe Black was savaged by critics at the time, but looks a more interesting prospect today, not least because we know how just how far outside his comfort zone Brad Pitt’s deeply strange, yet memorable performance is...

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David Oppedisano

Radio Times

Jun 7, 2024

4/5

This is Hollywood at the crossroads of glossy and classy, with Hopkins at the peak of his powers and Pitt at his most transcendent.

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Brian Costello

Common Sense Media

Jan 17, 2024

A gimmicky premise is made even worse by iffy acting, hilariously bad dialogue, and a slow pace.

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R B

@mostmoviessuck91 11 hrs ago

A little bit slow for my taste but I loved the music in this. Sometimes was hard to watch and you were just hoping to move into the next scene or dialogue. Thought the acting overall was good and a decent plot. Just really slow moving considering this all happened over about a 3 day period.

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Adonis J

@RT16098418 Jul 4, 2026

The chemistry pops off the screen, extremely well written and one of those movies that will genuinely make you feel something deep in your gut. I was pulled in and by the conclusion of the movie I was fully invested

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Andrew H

@RT38677137 Jun 5, 2026

A movie I have seen a hundred times and that I want to see a hundred more! This is a movie that no matter how many times I see it, gives a "whisper of a thrill" every time and stirs a sense of wondrous emotion throughout. It will forever remain one of the best movies I have seen in my lifetime.

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Raldyr H

@Raldyr May 31, 2026

The more time has passed, the more often I think about this movie. It's one of those titles that you keep coming back to. A wonderful soundtrack, too!

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Frans B

@FransB May 30, 2026

Brilliant! Very well and intricately written. Touches on some very interesting subjects. Stellar and very capable cast all excels in character. Very good cinematography and visually appealing. Filled with emotion, intrigue, drama, suspense, uncertainty, anticipation and drama. Will certainly prompt you to think a little more intense about aspects of LIFE. Weird and wonderful.

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Nancy G.

@nancyg Mar 29, 2026

One of my favorites.

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Martin Brest

Director

Brad Pitt

Joe Black

Anthony Hopkins

William Parrish

Claire Forlani

Susan Parrish

Jake Weber

Drew

Marcia Gay Harden

Allison

Meet Joe Black: Official Clip - I Like You So Much

3:00

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Meet Joe Black: Official Clip - Lightning Could Strike

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Meet Joe Black: Official Clip - Mystery Man

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Meet Joe Black: Official Clip - Joe Says Goodbye

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Meet Joe Black: Official Clip - That Was Wonderful

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Meet Joe Black: Official Clip - Peanut Butter Man

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Meet Joe Black: Official Clip - Bill Introduces Joe

1:53

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Meet Joe Black: Official Clip - Am I Going to Die?

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Meet Joe Black: Official Clip - Bill's Birthday Speech

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Meet Joe Black: Official Clip - Undressing Joe Black

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Meet Joe Black: Trailer 1

2:26

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Synopsis

Bill Parrish (Anthony Hopkins), businessman and devoted family man, is about to celebrate his 65th birthday. However, before he reaches that landmark, he is visited by Death (Brad Pitt), who has taken human form as Joe Black, a young man who recently died. Joe and Bill make a deal: Bill will be given a few extra days of his life, and Joe will spend the same time getting to know what it's like to be human. It seems like a perfect arrangement, until Joe falls in love -- with Bill's daughter.

Director: Martin Brest
Producer: Martin Brest
Screenwriter: Ron Osborn, Jeff Reno, Bo Goldman
Distributor: Universal Pictures, MCA/Universal Pictures [us]
Production Co: Universal Pictures, City Lights Pictures
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 2, 1998, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 18, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $44.6M
Runtime: 3h 0m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby Digital, DTS, SDDS
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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