I first watched this with my mum when it was just out for rental. Sat down to watch it, and when that accident happened, we had to pause the film because we were laughing so much. I doubt very much that it was intentional on the film maker's part, but it just was hilarious.
Muna Zaldrizoti

I also laughed when the guy who looks like Dr.Phil said at the dinnertable "I like little girls" and when Joe black is talking to the black women in the hospital hahaha..

What made this so funny was the complete lack of effort they made with the dummy.
It just did not look in any way real, partly because the dummy was poor to start with and partly because of the way it didn't change shape as it flew around.
Probably quite deliberate on the part of the film makers because, had it been at all realistic, it would have changed the audience's emotional state and hence their reaction to the next part of the film.

The reason it was over the top was the director needed viewers to know he was killed with no chance of survival. But close-ups would've been macabre and not for this type of movie. At a distance, it had to be epic to convey that he could not be saved.
Like other people pointed out, this moment should not turn the audience to a dark mood. So the over-the-top accident served a double purpose. So many people on this thread think it reaffirms their hate for the film, but like so many other things they're totally missing the point, not knowing that the scene did everything it was supposed to do, judging by the reactions.
On a side note, any comedian would tell you most laughs are not from "funny", but rather a release of tension. Comedy is about building up that tension and finding a way for the audience to enjoy the catharsis. So it's not odd at all to laugh at this scene. It's what the director wanted.

i saw this in the theater and the entire audience cracked up. it was over the top, way over the top. and looked kinda fake. pitt turned into gumby chaneling wyle e coyote.
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Yeah it's on tv right now was bored stupid and laughed when he got bounced then was bored stiff again.

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I came here to see if anyone thought the same thing. It was hysterical. Yes I know it wouldn't be funny in real life & all that but this is just a movie & the scene was so random & the way it was done looked like something out of Final Destination. The reaction of the people at the crosswalk in the movie is funny too. I told my mom, "Damn, did Death have to kill him that way to take his body?!".

My brother actually laughed out loud (I mean LOUD) in the theater while the rest of the theater was gasping in horror. Needless to say he thought the Pitt groupies were going to attack him in cold blood.

Gasp inducing laughter, both horrific and cartoonish. A few frames might be tweaky from 90s CG limits. Maybe a body flops just like that when it bounces between two cars? Glad to say I've not seen it IRL.
Beautiful, simple movie. Goes together well, imo, w The Game from the previous year.

My high school teacher back in the day thought it was one of the funniest things ever.

I fast forward that part everytime because it comes off as humorous.

I found it hysterical. I'm watching the movie again right now and it's almost at that part. I love the reaction of the man who saw the accident in the movie, his "oh sh*t!" face cracks me up.

What the heck? An administrator removed my post where I actually retracted my smartassness. Go figure.

Please put some dashes above your sig line so I won't think it's part of your dumb post.

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No, not really I have always hated that scene. It's horrible. Perhaps because I've seen this happen in life and it works that way with the body flying.

The movie is on right now, and I was surprised at how comically that scene was directed. BIFF! BOOF! Clothes, briefcase, and umbrella rain down . . .

Think cynical thoughts.

I think the first time I saw that scene, it had its intended reaction. Subsequent veiwings and a few frame by frames on the DVD had me questioning the execution of it. Yes, almost comical. Someone's reference to "ping ponging between the cars" didn't help either! And I agree with some else's anylsis that something can be so horrible you just have to laugh at it. I think if they'd showed a car painting the pavement red with Pitt's body being drug down the street they'd have risked a PG-13 or and R rating, at least at that time. One thing to note about this movie is that it is all about the story. There are no obvious special effects or CGI in it, so this one effect seems painfully out of place. They've could have just panned up just before the hit, had the tires squeal and the "hit", but I think the shock factor would have been lost.

I was more shocked by the accident, but I did find the events that happened before it to be hilarious. All those looks back at each other! It was too much. And apparently that scene was supposed to be twice as long, from what I heard.

OK - I'm always moved by this film, and never laughed at the scene, that is until now. And now I'm in serious trouble, as I can't stop losing my shorts at the image. bends1 - something about "Pong" just killed me..well done.thanks for the laughI think, so long as I can breathe again.LOL.

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but coffee shop guy didn't exactly die because he did get the chance to spend the rest of his life with Susan. It just took a week or whatever it was to get the chance.
I think they would have never seen each other again if Joe didn't intervene and take over where he left off. I think when Susan is running after Joe and her father, and she instead meets Coffee Shop Guy, it's like she gets that second chance to turn around and see what could have been, like they both wanted to but were too afraid the other wouldn't feel the same.
I think the time spent on the street looking at each other and walking away- off and on- matched the time it took for her to go after Joe while he kept his pace with her dad and left her life permanently. He had no regrets about leaving her behind and giving her back Coffee Shop Guy and the lightning they felt on that street. Coffee Shop Guy's only problem was that he threw his life away at the thought of making her happy, like he said he would do for her if they were married. But Death gave him the chance to give up everything and be with her this time.

And that's why he got hit by the car; standing there in the road, he was sorry he didn't get her number and was trying to decide if he should go chase her. Then she disappeared around the corner. Joe died thinking of Susan.

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