Defending Your Life

PG

Released Mar 22, 1991

1 hr. 52 min.

Comedy

List

98%

43 Reviews

Tomatometer

83%

10,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Daniel Miller (Albert Brooks) isn't having a good week. For starters, he died after he got hit by a bus. Then he discovers that in the afterlife he must defend his actions on Earth in order to ascend to a higher plane of existence. While awaiting judgment, he falls in love with Julia (Meryl Streep), whose near-perfect life on Earth seemingly makes her a shoe-in for ascension. However, Daniel's actions in his lifetime might not be enough for him to move on.

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Critics Consensus

With Defending Your Life, writer-director-star Albert Brooks softens his trademark caustic humor -- and proves he's every bit as funny when he's tugging heartstrings.

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helder f

A nice movie for a Saturday afternoon. A story of a man who dies and needs to defend his life so that, if he succeeds, he can go to a higher level or, if he fails, return to life. Nothing extraordinary happens in the movie, besides toying with the idea that humans live in fear. The acting is fine. The main character's somewhat unaffected and not quiet there demeanor gets a bit boring. But all in all it's a nice lighthearted movie

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/12/24

Full Review

Be S

I've seen this movie at least six times, and I cry at the end every single time. If you like romantic comedies, it's the best one ever. The chemistry between Albert Brooks and Meryl Streep is amazing (and it's so refreshing to see romantic leads that are close in age)! If you're not particularly into romantic comedies, but you're s philosophical person who likes thinking about what happens after we die, and you like great acting and hilarious writing, then you'll like this movie. My husband doesn't care for romcoms, but after I finally convinced him to watch Defending Your Life, he gave it 4 stars.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/04/23

Full Review

Anastazia R

My favourite version of the afterlife.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/13/23

Full Review

Ravenswood R

I observed the jokes, and I knew it was supposed to be funny, but it wasn't. Everything falls flat. I wanted to like this. I like Brooks, and I love Rip Torn. Obviously Streep is a great actress. But, this was long and dull. The food "joke" got old really fast, and was repeated several times. Trite messaging about love, conquering your fears, living a "good" life - ho hum. Feel-good pabulum. I kept checking to see how much time was left, and finally made it to the end. A very light, nearly empty experience overall.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

07/05/23

Full Review

Samuel

Classic. My whole family quote lines from this. Great storyline and acting is fantastic. Wish they made more films like this.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/04/22

Full Review

john e

I thought it fairly obvious from its title what this film would be about. I was right… and at the same time so very wrong… and delightfully so! Defending Your Life is a flick released in 1991 which stars Albert Brooks and Meryl Streep. Brooks is also the writer and director. Daniel Miller (Brooks) purchases a new car for his birthday and heads out into the traffic of Los Angeles. While temporarily distracted he ends up colliding with an oncoming bus. Cue the film's credits, and the primary story commences! When we see him next, he's being transported in a wheelchair to a tram where all the other passengers are dressed in the same white robe (tupa) he now wearing. Soon he is being settled into his temporary accommodations in the Continental Hotel in Judgement City. Turns out that Judgement City appears very much like Earth, thus eliminating any stress for the new arrivals. No gold cities, no pits of fire… just buildings and roads and perfect weather. Daniel discovers that over the next few days his existence on Earth will be judged and it will be determined whether he will transition to further development or be sent back to Earth to try again to have a more successful journey. What makes this film very optimistic and witty is that the judgement everyone goes through has nothing to do with good/virtue or evil/sin. These things are not criteria in determining if one's existence on Earth was successful or not. I won't spoil things by giving away what the judgement process actually addresses, but I will say that it makes the film very thought provoking, both when viewing it and when pondering it later. Meryl Streep is sublime as Julia, another recently departed human who is finding her judgement process much easier than Daniel. The two befriend each other and eventually begin to feel romantic feelings for each other. Rip Torn and Lee Grant are both wonderful as opposing characters, one defending, and the other judging Daniel's previous time on Earth. There's also an amusing cameo by Shirley MacLaine who plays a guide in the Pavilion of Past Lives that Daniel and Julia visit! While thought provoking, one can't help but simply feel joyous and highly entertained while watching this clever tale. And rest assured, being from the mind of Albert Brooks, the film is littered with clever and self-deprecating humor. The movie, like life in general, is both provocative and silly.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

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Albert Brooks

Director

Albert Brooks

Daniel Miller

Meryl Streep

Julia

Rip Torn

Bob Diamond

Lee Grant

Lena Foster

Buck Henry

Dick Stanley

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Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

Most of these scenes are hilarious–there’s an especially riotous montage offering excerpts from “164 misjudgments over a 12-year period”...

Rated: 3/4

May 24, 2022

Full Review

James Berardinelli

ReelViews

While even the best frantic comedies often lose steam around the 90-minute mark, Defending Your Life is able to keep going for nearly two hours without wearing out its welcome or provoking a bout of fidgeting.

Rated: 3.5/4

Jan 18, 2022

Full Review

Owen Gleiberman

Entertainment Weekly

Rated: B-

Sep 7, 2011

Full Review

Mitchell Beaupre

Paste Magazine

It’s a bold, fascinating concept that feels true to the heart of someone like Brooks, a man who has made neuroses an integral part of his artistic brand.

Rated: 9.5/10

Mar 25, 2024

Full Review

Michael Clark

Epoch Times

There are also elements of courtroom drama without otherworldly components or CGI effects. If released 80 years ago, “Defending Your Life” could have easily been a Frank Capra film, likely a companion piece to “It’s a Wonderful Life.”

Rated: 4.5/5

Nov 4, 2023

Full Review

Terry Francis

Southern Voice (Atlanta)

Brooks manages to wring some laughs out of admittedly banal material, and the film is socially on target in some of its satire. The casting is very fine. Meryl Streep brings humor and flashes of authentic feeling to her role.

Rated: 2.5/4

May 9, 2023

Full Review

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Synopsis

Daniel Miller (Albert Brooks) isn't having a good week. For starters, he died after he got hit by a bus. Then he discovers that in the afterlife he must defend his actions on Earth in order to ascend to a higher plane of existence. While awaiting judgment, he falls in love with Julia (Meryl Streep), whose near-perfect life on Earth seemingly makes her a shoe-in for ascension. However, Daniel's actions in his lifetime might not be enough for him to move on.

Director: Albert Brooks
Executive Producer: Herb Nanas
Screenwriter: Albert Brooks
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures, Pioneer Entertainment
Production Co: Geffen Pictures
Rating: PG
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 22, 1991, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 3, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA): $16.2M
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby

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