6 of 12 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
A superb film, 8 Jan 2004
Meet Joe Black is a superb piece of film-making. Poised and patient, it is beautifully crafted, and the love (and years of development) that went into making it are apparent from the outset. I'm glad the editor didn't succumb to pressure or popularity and cut this film down - it's well worth the two hours and fifty minutes running time and all scenes are captivating.
Hopkins, Pitt and Forlani are all excellent; the budding relationship between the latter two is played to perfection. Poignant and well-observed, with the right balance of humour versus sadness, the film captures its protagonists' plights perfectly.
The film is backed up with a truly wonderful score which runs throughout, reinforcing key sequences with powerful yet subtle themes, which upon first hearing don't move in the ways which you expect, yet which, by the end of the film, feel reassuringly familiar. It is a beautiful score which works seamlessly with the drama on-screen.
I cannot recommend this film enough. Those who have rated it with a single star either don't know what they're talking about or haven't watched it properly. I don't see how anyone could dislike what is so obviously an outstanding piece of cinema.