Brad Pitt is in talks to star in Quentin Tarantino’s 10th and supposedly final film The Movie Critic, even as one scene from the actor’s past continues to leave fans bewildered. The scene in question comes from the 1998 fantasy drama Meet Joe Black, in which Pitt’s character talks in patois in the hospital, fans have pointed out the “absurd” accent. Fans have derided the sequence as “absurd” for decades.
Did The 1998 Fantasy Flop Derail Brad Pitt’s Momentum?
In Meet Joe Black, Brad Pitt plays a manifestation of Death experiencing life in a human form. But there is this scene where he speaks patois, the scene after almost 25 years is still considered as “one of the funniest, most absurd.” Here are a few fan reactions to the scene:
Watched Meet Joe Black the other night and absolutely lost it when Brad Pitt starts speaking patois. Truly one of the funniest, most absurd things I’ve ever seen in a movie
— keyvan (@still_oppressed) February 18, 2024
Jamaicans don’t actually say that. I’ve never said that in my life.
— Taye 🤎 (@readingwithtaye) February 19, 2024
Director: Now, Brad, we have a dialect coach here to make sure you sound unnerving but not ridiculous
Brad Pitt: Naw, I heard a Bob Marley song once, I got this— HaroldJ (@HaroldJ_NEPA) February 19, 2024
that's actually his normal way of speaking. it's all the other roles where he's acting
— Lena (@banalplay) February 18, 2024
The film flopped at the box office and earned Pitt a Razzie nomination for Worst Actor. But he quickly rebounded with acclaimed turns in 1999’s Fight Club and 2000’s Snatch that reasserted his credentials.
So while the clumsy scene left a cultural footprint, it barely registered as a speed bump in Pitt’s meteoric career ascent to A-list superstardom.
Could Quentin Tarantino’s Final Film Cement Brad Pitt’s Legacy?
Now pushing 60, Pitt aims to further cement his legacy by reteaming with Tarantino, who directed the actor’s Oscar-winning turn in 2019’s Once Upon A Time In Hollywood.
Tarantino’s next film The Movie Critic reportedly follows a cynical film reviewer in 1970s California, inspired by legendary New Yorker critic Pauline Kael. As one of the most decorated directors working today, Tarantino delivers Pitt his best shot yet at a second Academy Award.
If the project comes together as planned, it would cap Tarantino’s storied directorial career on a high note while underscoring Pitt’s dramatic talents in a potentially awards-friendly role. And maybe, finally, shift the pop culture conversation away from that clumsy Meet Joe Black breakfast.
Will The Movie Critic Be Brad Pitt’s Career-Capping Performance?
While the Meet Joe Black scene may linger in pop culture lore, Brad Pitt has continued building one of modern Hollywood’s most revered resumes, including six Oscar nominations and one win. Now approaching his fourth decade as a bonafide leading man, Pitt reportedly hopes to reteam with Quentin Tarantino for a hotly anticipated drama about a jaded film critic.
Given Tarantino’s penchant for dark wit and flair for reimagining bygone eras of cinema, The Movie Critic seems a fitting encapsulation of the director’s passions. And Pitt’s grizzled gravitas could imbue the critic role with complexity, helping Tarantino stick the landing on an illustrious 10-film career.
For Pitt, the project offers a prime opportunity to deliver a potential career-capping performance in a film likely to generate major Oscar buzz. If early details hold, The Movie Critic sounds like ideal source material for Pitt to render the defeated critic both hilarious and humane while etching another indelible character into film lore.
Over 25 years since the Meet Joe Black misfire, Pitt chasing hardware as a washed-up movie critic under Tarantino’s direction would punctuate one of Hollywood’s most remarkable careers on a poignant high note.
