Death doesn't just take a holiday in Martin Brest's film, it practically goes into retirement. Clocking in at three hours (the 1934 Death Takes a Holiday, on which this is loosely based, was a trim 78 minutes), Meet Joe Black is a lingering demise indeed, prettified and devoid of much sting. Which is no surprise given the presence of Brad Pitt in the title role, an embodiment of the Grim Reaper who pays a visit to media tycoon Bill Parrish (a reserved, occasionally bellowing Anthony Hopkins). "You're just a kid in a suit," Bill snorts, and the description proves apt -- Pitt's Death is a Forrest Gump-like holy innocent who makes the film a kind of Non-Being There.

Joe chooses to hang around Bill because of his exemplary character (not to mention his wealth and expensive tastes). In fact, Death offers the tycoon a few more days of life in exchange for being initiated into life's mysteries. These include peanut butter and Bill's daughter Susan (an earnest Claire Forlani), a young doctor who quite literally falls in love with death. Mildly complicated by the callow plotting of Drew (Jake Weber), Susan's treacherous fiancé, Meet Joe Black, unlike the film it's based on, pretty much takes death for granted. There's no questioning the meaning of it all, and Joe's handiwork rarely disturbs the plushly appointed surface of things -- the first such instance is so brutal and abrupt, its effect is hilarity. Death is not proud here, just complacent and comfortable.