#1071: BROOKS, Albert: Defending Your Life [1991]

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BROOKS, Albert (United States)
Defending Your Life [1991]
Spine #1071
Blu-ray

Is there love after death? Acerbic Everyman Albert Brooks finds a perfect balance between satirical bite and romantic-comedy charm as the writer, director, and star of this wonderfully warm and imaginative existential fantasy. After he dies suddenly the hapless advertising executive Daniel Miller (Brooks) finds himself in Judgment City, a gleaming way station where the newly deceased must prove they lived a life of sufficient courage to advance in their journey through the universe. As the self-doubting Daniel struggles to make his case, a budding relationship with the uninhibited Julia (Meryl Streep) offers him a chance to finally feel alive. Buoyed by a brilliant supporting cast that includes Rip Torn, Lee Grant, and Buck Henry, Defending Your Life is a rare feat of personal, philosophical filmmaking that happens to also be divinely entertaining.

111 minutes
Color
2.0 Surround
1:85:1 aspect ratio
Criterion Release 2021
Director/Writer


Albert Brooks was 44 when he wrote and directed Defending Your Life.

Other Brooks films in the Collection:

#1231: Real Life (1979)
#887: Lost In America (1985)
#1232: Mother (1996)

The Film

A

Film Rating (0-60):

60

The Extras

 The Booklet

Twelve-page wraparound featuring an essay by filmmaker Ari Aster.

Commentary

None.

Conversation

Between Brooks and filmmaker Robert Weide.

Extras Rating (0-40):

39

60 + 39 =

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