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List Price: $14.98 | | Label: Warner Home Video
Salesrank: 2609
Released: April 3, 2001 |
| Our Price: $5.29 |
| Used Price: $3.92 |
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MPAA Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
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.
Description of Defending Your Life:
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
Defending Your Life Reviews:
Defending Your Brain 
2009-12-08 - Frankly, I don't get the attraction of this movie. I saw it in its first run; it seemed like another B comedy movie with an overworked plot and little character development beyond the usual hackneyed yucks and cheesy Hollywood sentiment. The theology behind it was certainly non-parochial -- it was incomprehensible and chaotic. Putting together a rich, believable and detailed theology that makes sense is not a job for the faint hearted, and certainly not a job for Hollywood screenwriters.
The Wizard of Oz? Sure.
It's a Wonderful Life? Absolutely!
Kill Bill, Parts I and II? Well, ok, but send the kids to bed first.
But this movie was just a good excuse to get out of the summer heat for a few hours. Nothing more.
I don't understand all the glowing reviews, but as the French say: Chacun à son goût (diff'rent strokes for diff'rent folks).
Great little film 
2009-10-09 - A wonderful film that is one verson of dying and being judged by some universal court. Some parts are terribly slow with terrible actors but all in all it's a movie that's handy if you just want some mild entertainment.
Defending your life
2009-09-03 - Fast service! Got my item within the week I ordered it and it came in great condition.
This movie is a classic!
2009-09-03 - The quality of the movie and the great used price...I'll never buy another "brand new" movie again. It did take a week to receive the movie, but other than that, we are very happy with our purchase.
DVD "Defending Your Life"
2009-08-30 - I didn't received the ordered item, although I ordered it on July 9. Once I got a response and a delivery promise from the seller on August 3, but today, on Augus 30, I still didn't get it.
