It was the second pairing of Hopkins and Pitt after their 1994 film Legends of the Fall. Billionaire media mogul Bill Parrish is considering a merger between his company and another media giant, and meet joe black russian about to celebrate his 65th birthday with an elaborate party planned by his eldest daughter, Allison. His youngest daughter, Susan, a resident in internal medicine, is in a relationship with one of Bill’s board members, Drew.

Susan meets a vibrant young man at a coffee shop. He takes an interest in her and tells her that lightning may strike. She is enamored but parts without getting his name. Unbeknownst to her, the man is struck by multiple cars in a possibly fatal accident. Death arrives at Bill’s home in the uninjured body of the young man, explaining that Bill’s impassioned speech has piqued his interest.

Given Bill’s “competence, experience, and wisdom”, Death says that for as long as Bill will be his guide on Earth, Bill will not have to die. Making up a name on the spot, Death is introduced to the family as “Joe Black”. Bill’s best efforts to navigate the next few days, knowing them now to be his last, fail to keep events from going rapidly out of his control. Drew is secretly conspiring with a man bidding for Parrish Communications.

Susan is confused by the appearance of Joe, believing him to be the young man from the coffee shop, but eventually falls deeply in love with him. Joe is now under the influence of human desires and becomes attracted to her as well. After they make love, Joe asks Susan, “What do we do now? She replies, “It’ll come to us. Bill angrily confronts Joe about his relationship with his daughter, but Joe declares his intention to take Susan with him for his own. As his last birthday arrives, Bill appeals to Joe to recognize the meaning of true love and all it encompasses, especially honesty and sacrifice.

Joe comes to understand that he must set aside his own desire and allow Susan to live her life. At the party Bill makes his peace with his daughters. Susan tells Joe that she has loved him ever since that day in the coffee shop. Joe realises that Susan loves the unknown man, not him, and the realization crushes him slightly. Mastering his emotions powerfully he balks at telling Susan who he really is, although she seems to intuit his true identity.