Meet Joe Black (1998) review

Successful businessman William Parrish (Anthony Hopkins) - who runs a communications company - starts having chest pains and is worried about his health and just so happens to run into a young man named "Joe Black" (Brad Pitt) who is the Grim Reaper taking on human form - together, Joe convinces William to nix a potential merger pitched by his future son-in-law Drew (Jake Weber) ... and he becomes intimate with his daughter Susan (Claire Forlani).  It's based on Alberto Casella's play La Morte in Vacanza - as well as the 1934 American film Death Takes a Holiday - but despite the clever concept (which flirts with the supernatural) and a standout performance by Hopkins, entirely too many scenes are horrendously belabored and drawn out (which explains the inexcusable three hour running time) ... and for whatever reason Brest has Pitt acting like an alien (when not speaking Jamaican Patois to a sick woman).  Four individuals are listed as having worked on the "screenplay," but it's mind-blowing any of them - including the gentleman with two Academy Awards - gave the green light to that baffling dud of an ending.  That said, it is a pretty-looking movie: the cinematography by Emmanuel Lubezki is superb and the luxurious production design is courtesy of Dante Ferretti.