BEFORE: Yes, I followed up a chain of comedies with a string of rather dark films - there's been something of a pall cast over the project for the last few days, largely due to the subject matter. And after a couple films with dead characters, how about won where Death IS a character? Linking from "Volver", Penelope Cruz was in "All the Pretty Horses" with Matt Damon, who was in "Ocean's Eleven" with Brad Pitt (last seen in "Legends of the Fall").
THE PLOT: A media mogul acts as a guide to Death, who takes the form of a young man to learn about life on Earth.
AFTER: Technically Brad Pitt plays two characters here, a free-wheeling hunk who meets a terrible fate, and the Angel of Death, who chooses to inhabit his recently deceased body to experience life's pleasures. Well, wouldn't you? And when he plays Death, he acts much more deadpan (oh, I get it!) and also very naive. It seems Death doesn't know very much about what it means to be alive. The little things, like sex and sandwiches.
He chooses the head of a communications company to show him around - I'd say he might learn more about life by hanging out on a beach, maybe studying under a surfer or a bartender or something. But no, it's the world of big business for Mr. Death! Afternoon teas, and flirting with the boss's daughter. Visiting sick people in a hospital, and eating peanut butter right out of the jar. Come on, Death, you haven't taken a vacation in, well - forever. At least go on a cruise or something, or drive along the coast.
The main drawback here is the film's length. Three hours? Geez, some of us have to go to work in the morning! I'll accept "Titanic", "Saving Private Ryan" and the "Lord of the Rings" movies at that length, but that's it. Since the majority of this movie moves at a snail's pace, you can't tell me that an experienced editor couldn't have trimmed at least a half an hour out of the middle. Is the intent to bore me to death to prove a point - is that supposed to make me feel more alive somehow?
Yeah, there's a love story, and some corporate intrigue - but come on, they did more with the Grim Reaper character in "Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey" in about one tenth of the screen time.
There is a dichotomy here - obviously no one wants to die (except people in pain, I suppose) but the presence of Death as a character affirms that there is something that comes after, some order to the universe, and some kind of cosmic plan. But again, that's Hollywood, and in the real world, the jury's still out on that one.
Also starring Anthony Hopkins (also last seen in "Legends of the Fall"), Claire Forlani (last seen in "The Rock", but I remember her from "CSI:NY"), Jeffrey Tambor (last seen in "The Hangover"), Marcia Gay Harden (last seen in "The First Wives Club"), Jake Weber (last seen in "Born on the Fourth of July").
RATING: 4 out of 10 fireworks
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