Nerds That Geek Movie Review: ‘Defending Your Life’

Written by John Edward Betancourt 

The true beauty of science in the modern world, is that mankind has been able to answer a great many questions that have plagued our species for millennia. We now know the cause of what makes us sick and how to prevent and treat most viral and bacterial related ailments, we unlocked the secrets of flight and heck, we even figured out how to travel through space. But there are some scientific mysteries that still continue to mystify us despite the wonders we’ve achieved and one such question that continues to remain on our minds…is what exactly happens to us after we die, and of course, there are plenty of competing theories on the matter.
 
Some people believe there is nothing but darkness waiting for us after we’ve taken our final breaths, while others, firmly believe there is an afterlife and a future for the soul that resides within us and there’s plenty of theories to go along with that notion as well. For some religions tell us that how we live our lives on Earth, determines where our soul goes when our bodies have expired and we either enjoy an eternity of joy in Heaven or endure endless torture in Hell. But there are other religions and beliefs that speak to the notion of reincarnation, wherein our soul is transferred into another being after we die, and we start the process anew as a different individual. But the fact of the matter is, we simply don’t know what awaits us when we pass into the great beyond, but that sure doesn’t stop film from pondering upon the matter and recently, I had the chance to revisit a magnificent motion picture that offers up a unique perspective on the whole notion of the Afterlife in Defending Your Life.
 
In this particular film, we meet a slightly miserable man named Daniel Miller, and as he celebrates his birthday, he is blissfully unaware of the irony that awaits him. For Daniel dies in an accident on his birthday and mere moments after seeing the sheer terror of a bus barreling toward him, he awakens in the strangest of places. For he finds himself in what appears to be any old city, and he is exhausted and disoriented and once he gets his bearings, he comes to discover that this everyday place is in fact where people go when they die and the purpose of this town and the odd people he meets, is to determine as to whether or not Daniel and every other member of mankind that’s recently deceased is worthy of advancing to a higher level of being. And for the next few days, Daniel must quite literally defend his life in front of a pair of judges, who will decide if his consciousness can move on to new wonders in the universe, or if he will need to return to Earth and try mastering the human condition one more time…

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​Now, if that seems like an incredibly complex plot for a film designed to explore the nature of death and the afterlife, you’re 100% correct. Because this motion picture, is simply brilliant in every sense of the word and perhaps the most pleasant surprise when it comes to this movie, is the sheer fact that everything this film explores, is handled in lighthearted fashion, which lends to its outright wonder. Because let’s be honest, death isn’t exactly a cheery or celebratory topic, but here, Writer and Director and Star Albert Brooks uses humor to make the great beyond a little less heavy and those fluffier moments and the awkwardness of having to defend one’s life and one’s decisions instantly take down your guard when it comes to the subject matter and it all helps to suck you into a story that actually deals with some powerful concepts.
 
For Defending Your Life is a grand exploration of fear, and how we thrive upon it and all of that is on display thanks to our characters, in just about every way imaginable. Because how they confronted and handled fear during their lives has great bearing on where they go next in the universe and for that matter, how they handle fear in death is equally as important and well, by giving us that to chew upon, the film makes it inherently clear that the only way to truly live life is to indeed do it without fear. And that once we abandon it and embrace the moment, the personal hell we create for ourselves fades away and we can accomplish wonders and reach new heights and that’s just a wonderful message to find in a film that dives into so many elements about life in general. 
 
But, while that’s delightful in its own right, something as fantastical as this concept doesn’t work without great acting to sell the afterlife and we get incredible performances from Albert Brooks, Meryl Streep and Rip Torn in this film that ground this story and help to draw you into every wonderful moment it offers and really, I am so glad that I managed to re-discover this motion picture. It’s just…refreshing to watch and it leaves you feeling complete when the credits have come to an end and it’s just a fine reminder that sometimes, a simple story can accomplish wonders and if by chance you haven’t seen this movie, please do so. It really is a breath of fresh air that helps you to forget about the current spate of big budget, gritty blockbusters on the market and you really can’t go wrong with a story that will make you laugh and cry while it makes you ponder upon life and all the magic that comes with it. 

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