Defending Your Life

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Albert Brooks proves there's laughs after death with this almost heavenly comedy--almost heaven as in Judgment City, where recently perished Daniel Miller (Brooks) learns whether he is worthy of advancing to a higher plane of existence or will be sent back to earth for another incarnation.

His fate will be determined in a very special trial, during which scenes from his life are replayed on a giant screen. "Isn't it realistic?" a judge asks. "It makes some people nauseous." While the steely prosecutor (Lee Grant) will try to prove that Daniel failed in life to face his fears and insecurities, his glad-handing, reassuring defender (Rip Torn) will argue on behalf of this hapless "little brain" (a Judgment City term for residents of earth).

As Woody Allen did for the future in Sleeper, so does Brooks create an original vision of the afterlife. In Judgment City, white-robed residents can eat as much as they want without guilt or fear of gaining weight. They can also visit the Past Lives Pavilion, where they are greeted by a hologram of--who else--Shirley MacLaine.

Daniel finds himself touched by an angel. Meryl Streep gives an enchanting performance as Julia, whose exemplary life is in stark contrast to his. During her trial, the court watches in rapture as she saves not only children, but a cat from a burning building.

Daniel and Julia are a match made in Judgment City, but first Daniel must summon up the courage to express his true feelings for her, or she will surely advance without him.

Defending Your Life is Brooks's most ambitious film and, with Mother, his most accessible. --Donald Liebenson

Description

Immediately following his death by bus, Daniel finds himself in the afterlife facing his past. If you can't make a case for having lived a full and fearles

superb music score won an Academy Award.s life, you must go back to Earth and try again. But Daniel doesn't want to go back after he meets Julia in this heavenly fable written and directed by Albert Brooks.

Customer Reviews:

Yet Another Great Film from Albert Brooks.......2007-08-22

Albert Brooks may be compared to Woody Allen as film director/writer. But, I find that his style to be a little different. He is the smart talking guy who tries to show his strength with sarcasm and big talk. Yeah, we have heard this guy before. It's probably us in many situations but Brooks plays this exactly on the dot. Meryl Streep just sticks around for the ride since this is Brooks' act. Well, Streep is wonderful and makes acting seem effortless. The idea of Judgement City is just pure genius when you consider that everyone expects to go to heaven for just being a good samaritan. Brooks places this assumption upside with court like drama.

With this DVD, it's disappointing to just have the trailer. In this comedy, I expected outtakes and deleted scenes. Considering that this film was a sleeper, I guess it's not a surprise that Warner Brothers decided not to invest more into this film. Well, I am glad that other films like The Accidental Tourist gets the royal treatment from Warner Brothers.

A movie I watch every time it's on TV.......2007-07-17

I rarely watch movies I own on DVD, but if they come on TV, I'll watch it. This is one of those movies that every time it's on TV, I'll watch it.

I love the whole concept of the movie of moving on to a judgement period after you die, to decide to move on. Very original twist on the afterlife. Brooks is great as the somewhat hapless man who must defend his life's record. The real beauty of this movie is his time spent exploring Judgement City and his encounters with Meryl Streep. Brooks writing is very witty. I love the Hall of Previous lives where one can see what they were in previous lives. One of the best quotes is when Julia (Streep) asks Brooks what he was as they are each watching their own lives. Brooks previous life happens to be a native running from a lion. His answer is "Lunch."

The movie is full of wonderful dialogue, and clever little twists. There is a reason I watch it every time it's on. It's just fun and heartwarming.

DEFENDING ALBERT BROOKS.......2007-07-01

This is Mr. Brooks at his side-splittingest and most sardonic as he prepares to enter the afterlife and must defend the decisions he made in life. This film is clever on all levels. Casting Meryl Streep as someone who has nothing to defend was a stroke of genius. Watch for Shirley MacLaine in a howlingly funny cameo. I have watched this again and again to make up for all the people who didn't see it in the theaters. I have given it as a gift many, many times to people who have never heard of it. I hate to use the term "feel-good" as it is overworked with regard to film, but when this one ends, I'm happy that I watched it.

A Pleasant Comedy.......2007-06-27

I agree with most of what good things everyone says about this movie - I saw it in the theatre when it came out and bought it on DVD, although I'm a tad disappointed there aren't any extras on the DVD. Albert Brooks has always made me laugh but it's nice to see Meryl Streep possibly enjoying a film role for once - it seems like a good pairing of two cerebral actors - you may laff when you hear Brooks' name and the word cerebral in the same sentence but his movies have always made me think he has a good insight into the human psyche. The middle of the film where Lee Grant shows his various mistakes is hilarious and make you think that Brooks' character is just outside of being passed on to Heaven, until the last part of the movie - Rip Torn is his usual funny self, and his ambiguity and vagueness comes off as funny.

Heavenly.......2007-06-10

A good look at The Other Side a.k.a. Heaven. Eating whatever you want, past life regression, moving on. A movie I believe gives people some real good insight into the afterlife. A positive outlook for paradise.

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