When you get to the end of your life, will you be able to look back and say that you lived the best version of it? Have you welcomed all of the opportunities that have been provided to you, or has fear prevented you from taking full advantage of the bountiful wonders that make life worth living? This is the question at the heart of Albert Brooks’ 1991 romantic comedy-fantasy film Defending Your Life, which is finally making its Blu-Ray debut thanks to the good folks at the Criterion Collection after years of hoping and praying – not something you will find in this film. The fourth feature film from the beloved comedian finds Brooks dialing down the stark reality of Modern Romance and the biting satire of Lost In America to something a bit more whimsical while still remaining as introspective as ever. The film was not a huge box office success, but those who have seen it often herald it as one of the great romantic comedies. Defending Your Life pulls off the delicate balancing act of crafting a smart, contemplative comedy that works just as well as a heartwarming romance that will have you returning again and again.
Advertising executive Daniel Miller (Albert Brooks) has decided to treat himself on his 39th birthday by purchasing a new BMW. He seems quite joyous as he careens through the streets of Los Angeles with Barbara Streisand blasting from his car for all to hear. It is with the fateful slipping of a stack of CDs onto the floorboard that Daniel has his life changed forever. Not just changed, ended by a head-on collision with a bus. Cut to the luminous world of Judgement City where Daniel is about to be forced to examine his life more closely than he ever expected. This is not Heaven; Judgement City is more like a waiting room between one phase of existence and the next. It is set up to mimic what humans enjoy about Earth to help ease the transition. The weather is always “perfect” and you can even eat as much of the best food you have ever tasted with no physical ramifications. Brooks takes great delight in gently satirizing various aspects of life with the inclusion of ridiculous games shows on television and some silly puns within the production design. Judgement City may seem like paradise, but you cannot stay here forever.
Daniel is on trial for his life. Well, on trial to move on from the life he has known. As his boisterous defense attorney Bob Diamond (the outstanding Rip Torn) explains to him, humans on Earth only use a fraction of their brain, and once they have grown enough though many lifetimes of experience they will be deemed worthy of moving on to the next phase of existence. They are not going to Heaven, mind you; this film purposefully keeps religion out of the narrative so it can focus on the nature of human existence without that additional burden. Daniel must prove that he lived enough of his life out of the clutches of fear to justify not being reincarnated on Earth as another new person to do it all again. The problem is, Daniel is not someone who was brave and he has a lot in his past that prosecutor Lena “the Dragon Lady” Foster (Lee Grant) intends to use as evidence against him. During this process, they will analyze videos from Daniel’s life such as moments of bullying or incompatible relationships to argue his merits.
As the writer, director and star of the film, Brooks is firing on all cylinders. He skillfully delivers all of the acerbic lines emanating from his brilliant script. Brooks also delivers on the pathos as he steeps himself in the tragic moments that often accompany a normal existence. Daniel is not doomed to sadness, though; he meets the absurdly good-natured Julia (Meryl Streep), who is a shoe-in for moving on to the next phase of life. You could say that their relationship develops at an absurdly fast rate, but Daniel does only have nine days before they render judgement. The scenes between these two as they discuss the absurdities of their situation and visit the Past Lives Pavilion are some of the best in the film. They have such an easy rapport that you cannot help but fall in love with them. It will come as a shock to no one to say that Streep is fantastic in her role, as she brings an easy warmth and charm that not only wins over the audience, but sets Daniel down a path to conquering his fear. Defending Your Life is a film that never gets old. From the expertly fashioned philosophical examination of life to the straightforward romance that forms the heart of the film, nary a moment strikes a false note. It is one of the all-time greats.
Video Quality
Defending Your Life has been granted a director-approved 4K restoration in its original 1.85:1 from the original 35mm camera negative via the Criterion Collection for this beautiful new Blu-Ray disc. The film grain present is beautifully natural and consistent while allowing fine details to shine through. Subtle details stand out with greater clarity than ever before, especially in the elements of the production design. Exploring Judgement City and all of the various locations within this new transfer almost makes it feel like a whole new film. Facial features are likewise detailed with fine lines and pores detectable alongside natural skin tones. Colors are vibrant without being unnatural for the environment. This feature is very bright, and the white levels are handled wonderfully with no instances of blooming, Black levels are deep and inky without any noticeable blocking or compression artifacts. This is by far the best the film has looked on home entertainment.
Audio Quality
The Criterion Collection brings us this new Blu-Ray with a remastered DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that offers an incredibly strong audio experience. The dialogue holds up quite nicely, coming though clearly without being stepped on by the music or other effects. The buoyant score from Michael Gore is an essential part of the film, and it has never been presented with such warmth before. The environmental effects are delineated nicely including the chatter of the city residents and the trams shuttling people around. This track does not present with any glaring instances of age related wear and tear. This is a track that represents the film in a way that is practically perfect. Optional English (SDH) subtitles are provided on this disc.
Special Features
The Criterion Blu-Ray of Defending Your Life includes a foldout booklet featuring the new essay “Real Afterlife” by director Ari Aster (Hereditary) in which he discusses his deep love for the film, along with the themes and cultural relevance of the picture. This provides a great amount of context and insight into the film that is so worthwhile. This booklet is fashioned to look like a visitor’s guide to Judgement City. The on-disc special features are as follows:
- Albert Brooks and Robert Weide: A 28-minute conversation between filmmaker Robert Weide and writer-director-actor Albert Brooks that was recorded in November 2020. This is a wonderful addition to the package, as Brooks has not taken the opportunity to reflect upon his work in a while. The conversation goes to some very interesting places including reflections on the death of Brooks’ father at a young age, the music in the film, the continuity in the film, the place of this film in his filmography, the cinematography, working with Rip Torn, how he landed Meryl Streep and much more.
- Albert Brooks, Lee Grant and Rip Torn: A 12-minute assortment of interviews with Brooks and actors Lee Grant and Rip Torn recorded for the television talk show Crook & Chase in 1991 around the release of the film. In these interviews, Brooks discusses balancing the responsibilities of acting and directing, Torn talks about harnessing his comedic chops, Grant reveals how Brooks courted her for the project and more interesting anecdotes about the film.
- Spending Time In Judgement City: A new 22-minute interview with theologian and critic Donna Bowman in which she delves into the afterlife created by Brooks in Defending Your Life. Bowman has many interesting insights to share as to how the film does an excellent job of saying a lot about the nature of life and how it is enjoyed by Daniel, the fears of that are on display, how the film gels with philosophical ideas and more. It is quite fascinating to get such an analytical breakdown of the themes in the film.
- Trailer: A two-minute trailer is provided here that makes the mistake of showing the end of the film.
Final Thoughts
Defending Your Life is a film that is highly beloved, but still feels underrated for the sheer amount of joy it brings every time you watch it. Rarely has coming to terms with your own mortality been such an enjoyable experience. The combination of the sweetness and warmth provided by Meryl Streep and the hilarious neuroses offered up by Albert Brooks makes for a true delight. The Criterion Collection has delivered a long-awaited Blu-Ray that features a 5-star A/V presentation and some really enjoyable special features. This should be considered an essential disc for any collection. Highly Recommended
The Criterion Collection edition of Defending Your Life will be available to purchase on March 30, 2021 on Blu-Ray and DVD.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: The Criterion Collection has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
