Defending Your Life

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Defending Your Life

PG

Released Mar 22, 1991

1h 52m

Comedy

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Popcornmeter

98%

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43 Reviews

83%

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10,000+ Ratings

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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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

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Owen Gleiberman

Entertainment Weekly

Rated: B-

Sep 7, 2011

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

The movie is funny in a warm, fuzzy way, and it has a splendidly satisfactory ending.

Rated: 3.5/4

Jan 1, 2000

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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

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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

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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

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Mason M

Definitely Albert Brooks's masterpiece, extremely funny, surprisingly profound, and overall one of the most beautiful movies ever made. The all-time greatest and probably most realistic depiction of the afterlife on film. I have not and never will cry during a film, but the ending of this might be the closest I've ever come to.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/07/24

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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

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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

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Anastazia R

My favourite version of the afterlife.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/13/23

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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

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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

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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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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
Producer: Michael Grillo
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
Runtime: 1h 52m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby

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