Defending Your Life (1991)

Don't listen to the Hype. It's awful

I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

A comedy about what happens and how everything happens after we die starring Albert Brooks and Meryl Streep? Count me in. Besides a few supporting roles (and of course his work in Finding Nemo), I'm not as familiar with Brooks' work as I probably should be. He's a perfect example of a guy who clearly has comedic talent but the only way you can connect (just like every comedy) is if his comedy hits you in the right way. Brooks' dry humor is definitely solid, albeit doesn't translate as well to a 2018 audience member. However, the original concept, creative 'out of place' type humor, and a nice chemistry between Streep and Brooks is more than enough to replace the dated elements.7.0/10

Film auteur Albert Brooks creates a whole new concept of an afterlife with Defending Your Life where apparently the big sin is not to be courageous enough. At least that was his big sin. One wonders how the scrutiny was on other candidates.No such thing as hell. We just keep coming back until we get it right. As Rip Torn has it there are folks that keep coming back into triple digits. Those are who you don't want to hang out with. Draw your own conclusions.So when Brooks his hit by a bus in a traffic accident head on, we next see him on the Tramway to Judgment City. That was an interesting concept as well. It looks like our concept of heaven is quite earthly. It's better than flying around on a cloud playing a harp that could get boring after a while. I wonder what Judgment City looked like in 1491 instead of 1991. Or even 491. The Oriental people would have understood it better as reincarnation was part of their religions.Brooks dies young and he's among a group of new arrivals who've lived out their allotted measure and he's got nine days in Judgment City the Las Vegas of the celestial plane with a bunch of senior citizens. But he gets a stroke of dubious luck when he meets Meryl Streep one of the only young people in the recent arrivals. They have nine days to make the most of it.But that's at night and by day both of them have to be Defending Your Life before a celestial tribunal with a pair evenly matched adversaries, Rip Torn as Brooks's defense attorney and Lee Grant as the prosecutor. These two go at it over Brooks the way Ronald Colman and Vincent Price duel over the fate of man in The Story Of Mankind.In the end Brooks proves maybe he has what it takes.I found this a strangely unsettling film. I kept thinking of that Broadway show tune from Texas Little Darlin', The Big Picture Show In The Sky. The idea of a hidden camera taking video of you is quite unsettling. No such a thing as a right to privacy. Looks like God has us all on a smartphone that has eternally charged batteries.And also having a sister who died young makes one wonder what her fate might have been. I can say that if she didn't make it to the higher plane no one did or should.Defending Your Life is an interesting and funny film, but might be as unsettling for other viewers as it was for me.

The basic concept looks like it incorporates various belief systems here and there; Buddhist view of reincarnation, Abrahamaic religions' views of afterlife personal judgment, and the American Dream of a liberal heaven. The movie builds up the main character's funny attitude very well. It's too bad that it doesn't really support the story. It's because the story gets to be so serious and it leaves no room for any practical jokes. I personally think that this movie should also be billed as a romance story, because it can present the afterlife acquaintance and ensuing relationship nicely. The acting is decently okay. Albert Brooks give out enough character to his role and was funny in it. Meryl Streep gives the nice balancing act on the romantic side of the story.

Albert Brooks writes, directs & stars in this 1991 romantic comedy that co-stars Meryl Streep, Rip Torn and Lee Grant. After getting into a car accident on his birthday, Daniel Miller (Brooks) is sent to the afterlife where he's on trial for being afraid his whole life. He meets lawyer, Bob Diamond (Torn) who defends him and prosecutor, Lena Foster (Grant). They show him past moments of his life where he had fear and made wrong decisions. Soon, Daniel finds romance with Julia (Streep) and must try to overcome his fear. I've always liked this film, Albert did a great job and he and Meryl have good chemistry. I also really like the food scenes where you can eat all you want without gaining weight. I recommend this great film.