Spoilers
-
garyd9 — 11 years ago(May 13, 2014 10:31 PM)
You are exactly right! The OP is wrong with his theoryeverything supports that she is getting the guy from the coffee shop - not death/Joe.
The first sentence of your explanation: "Death loved Susan and presented her with a parting gift; he gave her what he promised her at the partythe affable, charming and honest coffee shop guy." is dead on. That is
EXACTLY
what was happening at the end! -
actionmanozzie — 12 years ago(September 23, 2013 05:16 PM)
Posted in the other thread where you stated this, but why not here too.
You are flat out wrong.
The script even says this.
It is the young man who comes back. He's confused and delirious, but it's him.
Death's sacrifice (Which shows that he truly loves Claire) is that he gives her the man back and leaves her to be with an actual PERSON instead of being selfish and lying to her.
It actually boggles my mind how this is not blatantly obvious to you the last 40 minutes of the movie or something prepare you for this EXACT ending. For Joe to leave, and return her the man she met. (remember, it wasn't his time to begin with, he died accidentally).
They have conversations about it, and Death realizes he's being selfish and that it wouldn't work. -
first-things-first — 12 years ago(January 14, 2014 08:12 PM)
I paid special attention to the beginning and end of the movie to see if I could make the same conclusion about Death. To me he wasn't Death. Even though he didn't state her exact words he knew enough to convince me he was not Death. And his statements about them having time fit the coffee shop guy. He wanted to get to know her. And his mannerisms had the same energy that coffee shop guy had. Joe/Death was reserved, as he was learning human behavior.
But I will admit that when Susan mentioned the coffee shop, Death could have used the info to his advantage. He could stay in human form and take souls like he did in the hospital. But Susan was afraid of his true self, so I think Death left and returned the coffee shop guy to her.
If we can save humanity, we become the caretakers of the world -
garyd9 — 11 years ago(May 13, 2014 10:40 PM)
This is my all-time favorite movie and I've seen it 8 or 9 times. Your theory is totally wrong. As one poster further down answers you: "Death loved Susan and presented her with a parting gift; he gave her what he promised her at the partythe affable, charming and honest coffee shop guy."
That is exactly what happened - out of love, death gave Susan coffee shop guy.
Death came to finally and fully understand William Parrishwhich is the main reason he decides to bow out. For Death to go with Susan in the end would have been a HUGE betrayal of her father - he had way too much respect for him in the end to do that to him (or to her).
He also demonstrated in his dealings with the old Jamaican woman that he was basically a good guy - someone who ultimately wouldn't do the selfish thing of taking Susan himself.
'Sorry, but you are just wrong on this one! -
Blue_Afternoon — 10 years ago(September 14, 2015 03:44 PM)
Personally, I think the ending was deliberately ambiguous, you take away the ending you want. I've watched it twice, the first time I absolutely thought it was coffee guy, the second time, I thought it was Death. I prefer that ending. Each to their own. Can't we stop over-analyzing the ending and just choose whichever we prefer?
His penis got diseases From a Chumash tribe -
spifflog — 9 years ago(July 20, 2016 01:04 PM)
You can certainly choose to insert or delete anything in the film you like to suit your own taste.
But as written, it's clear that it's not Death but coffee shop guy. It you still think it's Death, now do you square it with this dialog:
Susan Parrish: I wish you could have known my father.
Joe Black: So do I.
Is Death lying to her? I don't think so. Joe (now coffee shop guy) has never met her father. -
JujusFlix — 10 years ago(January 25, 2016 02:50 PM)
I like your idea, though I respectfully disagree. Yes, as a romantic, I would like to think that Susan's
love
(Death) could return and finish her life with her and maybe he (it) does in some respect. But other than it being a romantic notion, it's more than a bit disturbing, specifically if you think about it in literal terms, because she wouldn't then be "living her life to the fullest", but instead living in Death's shadow, until she died. Yeah, that still sounds romantic, but also very depressing.
Regardless, I watched that scene after reading your take on it and not only am I not sold on your idea, but I now feel more that it is, in fact, "Coffee Shop" Joe. I know it isn't the popular choice. Everyone seems to feel this is too much to believed. (Honestly I don't know why. This is a movie about Death taking a Holiday (yes, original title, thank you) So, why can't he take a body and give it back? He's death. He is in charge of that after all).
Anyway, I saw those subtle nuances you mentioned (yes,they were very subtle but there nonetheless) and it is my belief that they were there because they BOTH knew exactly what has happened. The knowledge was pretty evident in their eyes. Maybe they just can't put it into words because they think the other will believe they're crazy if they do. Or maybe they don't feel that they have to (for, as you said, the slower audience members).
Honestly, I don't know, but what I believe wholeheartedly is that the person at the end was
not
Death. Pitt, in his minimal acting, let the audience see much more light within than we ever saw in his portrayal of Death.
Just my opinion. Not better, just different than yours. But thanks for sharing yours so I can at last come to peace with mine.
"Good times, noodle salad" -
chucalv1 — 9 years ago(October 24, 2016 08:09 PM)
No, I think the OP is right. It was Death who returned, not the coffeeshop guy. The lines "What do we do now?" "It'll come to us." hint to the audience that the guy that returned was Joe Death because that was the exact same conversation that happened earlier on in the movie between Susan and Joe Death after their lovemaking.