Defending Your Life (1991)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Albert Brooks

Writer (WGA):

Albert Brooks (written by)

Release Date:

22 March 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Fantasy | Romance

Tagline:

The first true story of what happens after you die.

Plot:

In an afterlife resembling the present-day US, people must prove their worth by showing in court how they have demonstrated courage.

Plot Keywords:

Directed By Star | Afterlife | Chainsaw | Mirror | Broken Leg

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

Albert Brooks	...	Daniel Miller
Michael Durrell	...	Agency head
Meryl Streep	...	Julia
James Eckhouse	...	Jeep owner
Gary Beach	...	Car salesman
Julie Cobb	...	Tram guide
Peter Schuck	...	Stan
Time Winters	...	Porter
Rip Torn	...	Bob Diamond
Sharlie Stuart	...	Susan
Beth Black	...	Soap opera woman
Clayton Norcross	...	Soap opera man
Jim McKrell	...	Game show moderator
Wil Albert	...	Game show contestant
Sage Allen	...	Game show contestant

Runtime:

112 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | USA:PG (certificate #30916) | Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | Finland:S | Australia:PG | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

770 The City Drive, Orange, California, USA

Company:

Geffen Pictures

Trivia:

The Hall of Past Lives is actually the old Fluor Daniel building in Irvine, California.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: When Daniel is riding and subsequently falling off of the snow mobile, the dialog does not match his lips.

Quotes:

Bob Diamond: Being from Earth, as you are, and using as little of your brain as you do, your life has pretty much been devoted to dealing with fear.
Daniel Miller: It has?
Bob Diamond: Well everybody on Earth deals with fear -- that's what little brains do.
Bob Diamond: ...Fear is like a giant fog. It sits on your brain and blocks everything -- real feelings, true happiness, real joy. They can't get through that fog. But you lift it, and buddy, you're in for the ride of your life.
Daniel Miller: God... my three percent is swimming.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Making of 'The Larry Sanders Show' (2007) (V)

Soundtrack:

That's Life

This is a MUST-SEE movie

OK, it may be a bit too romantic-comedy-like, but the one-liners and story concepts are excellent. Albert Brooks plays a very convincing confused dead guy trying to figure out how to justify his total lack of manlihood. Apparently, you can only go to the next level if you have no regrets in life. So, he must go to court to defend his life. Rip Torn couldn't be funnier. The whole story is a crack-up. Note the details in the surroundings. Things like billboards, items on desks, clothing, building architecture. It's all surrealistic. It's almost like it wasn't intended to be that way, but obviously, it was. Your gal will like this story for its romanticism, you'll like it for it's irony and comedy.