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Defending Your Life (1991) will soon be the latest film to join the esteemed Criterion Collection, which once had Ghostbusters among its ranks. Read on to find out more about it...


Defending Your Life (1991) is the tale of hapless advertising executive Daniel Miller (Albert Brooks), who after his untimely death, finds himself in Judgment City, a gleaming way station where the newly deceased must prove they lived a life of sufficient courage in order 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.


I remember seeing the ads for Defending Your Life on TV 30 years ago, but I'm not sure if I've ever seen the movie itself. I wish it didn't take me so long to finally watch it. Reminiscent of the American television series The Good Place (2016-2020), it's a charming romantic comedy-drama that shows what happens after you die. Little Brains, as Judgment City visitors are derogatorily called, are made to account for their misgivings in their former life. If they can prove that they've learned from their "mistakes", they are allowed to continue on to Heaven (there is no Hell). If they can't, they are sent back to Earth in a new form (reincarnation) to try again.


One of the best things about Defending Your Life is the way that "limbo" is depicted in the form of Judgment City, a place with various carefree activities and as much food as you can eat with zero repercussions. You won't gain weight or have any health problems from overeating. The world is depicted as excessively clean and uniform, with all visitors wearing the same robes and buildings that resemble the plain office structures familiar to all Earth citizens. Since the story focuses on Daniel, we only get to see the areas of the world that he gets to see. It would be nice to see more of Judgment City.


Playing opposite of lead Albert Brooks is the legendary Meryl Streep. She's never been more adorable than she is when inhabiting the role of Julia. Just watching her in the spaghetti-eating scene made me go, "Awwwww". I rank that up there with Lady and the Tramp as one of my top two spaghetti-eating scenes in all of cinema. Brooks and Streep's performances are buoyed by a brilliant supporting cast that includes Rip Torn, Lee Grant, and Buck Henry.


Defending Your Life is presented in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio with a runtime of 1:51:28 (includes a 10-second Criterion logo tacked onto the start of the film). Audio languages include English 2.0 DTS-HD MA. The film includes English SDH subtitles.


Here's a list of all of the bonus features that can be found on the Blu-ray disc. Although the new interviews were conducted remotely, they are not cheap video conferencing quality. It would seem that Criterion sent real video cameras to the participants.

• Albert Brooks and Robert Weide (28:07) - This conversation between writer-director-actor Albert Brooks and filmmaker Robert Weide was recorded remotely by the Criterion Collection in November 2020.
• Albert Brooks, Lee Grant, and Rip Torn (12:23) - Segments from interviews with writer-director-actor Albert Brooks and actors Lee Grant and Rip Torn that were recorded for the television talk show Crook & Chase in 1991, around the time of the original release of Defending Your Life.
• Spending Time in Judgment City (21:41) - Theologian and critic Donna Bowman takes a closer look at Defending Your Life and the afterlife world created by writer-director-actor Albert Brooks. This interview was recorded remotely in November 2020 by the Criterion Collection.
• Trailer (1:51)

Also included inside the thick clear plastic case is a 6-page dual-sided fold-out booklet that is designed like a "visitor's guide", reminiscent of the manuals that came with the Grand Theft Auto PlayStation 2 series of games. One side features a brief "Welcome to Judgment City" introduction, faux ads for Judgment City businesses, and various credits and transfer notes. The other side contains the six-page essay "Real Afterlife" by Ari Aster.


Defending Your Life (2021) is available from The Criterion Collection on individual Blu-ray and DVD. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED if you like sweet, earnest, romantic films that will give you a few chuckles and make you think about your life afterward. Honestly, if you loved The Good Place (2016-2020), you'll definitely like Defending Your Life.


All images were taken from the IMDB gallery of the film. This item has been provided by Criterion for review on this site.