Defending Your Life
“The first true story of what happens after you die.”
Synopsis
Is there love after death? After he dies suddenly, the hapless advertising executive Daniel Miller 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 offers him a chance to finally feel alive.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Defending Your Life (1991) | Official Trailer
Type: Trailer • Published 2021-01-09
Top Cast
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Albert Brooks
Daniel Miller
Meryl Streep
Julia
Rip Torn
Bob Diamond
Lee Grant
Lena Foster
Michael Durrell
Agency Head
James Eckhouse
Jeep Owner
Gary Beach
Car Salesman
Julie Cobb
Tram Guide
Peter Schuck
Stan
Time Winters
Porter
Sharlie Stuart
Susan
Beth Black
Soap Opera Woman
Clayton Norcross
Soap Opera Man
Jim McKrell
Game Show Moderator
Wil Albert
Game Show Contestant
Sage Allen
Game Show Contestant
Mary Pat Gleason
Waitress
Maxine Elliott Hicks
Elderly Woman on Tram
Release History & Theatrical Window
March 22, 1991
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$20M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$16.4M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
0.82x
-$3.6M deficit
Theatrical Status
Budget Return
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Albert Brooks
- Screenplay & Story
- Albert Brooks
- Original Score
- Michael Gore
- Original Title
- Defending Your Life
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English, Japanese
- Runtime
- 1h 51m
- Production Budget
- $20M
- Worldwide Gross
- $16.4M
- Production Studios
- Geffen Pictures
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Albert Brooks
Albert Brooks
Michael Gore
Allen Daviau
David Finfer
Michael Grillo, Herb Nanas
Department Leadership Roster
Michael Grillo
Producer
David Finfer
Editor
Allen Daviau
Director of Photography
Albert Brooks
Screenplay
Michael Gore
Original Music Composer
Albert Brooks
Director
Deborah L. Scott
Costume Design
Ida Random
Production Design
Mat Beck
Visual Effects Supervisor
Bill Erickson
Stunt Coordinator
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
PG: Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.
International Certification Matrix
FSK 6 — Restricted to viewers aged 6 and older.
Parental Guidance — Unlikely to upset children 8 and older.
Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Defending Your Life.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Defending Your Life.
Criterion Collection
The Complete Criterion Collection. The Criterion Collection is a video distribution company that sells 'important classic and contemporary films' in editions that offer the highest technical quality. This list contains only the featured films released on DVD, BluRay and 4K Criterion releases — no supplements are included. Organized by spine number with the newest releases first. CC标准收藏完整收录版： 收录标准收藏（Criterion Collection）发行的重要经典及当代电影。仅包含正片（涵盖 DVD、蓝光及 4K 版本），已排除花絮补充内容。按 CC 发行编号倒序排列（最新发行在前）。 *注：榜单源数据中包含部分剧集/迷你剧，由于本片单只收录纯电影，故不再收录以下非电影条目：* • [#214] Mangrove (2020) • [#215] Lovers Rock (2020) • [#216] Red, White and Blue (2020) • [#217] Alex Wheatle (2020) • [#486] Eight Hours Don’t Make a Day (1972) • [#647] Dekalog (1989) • [#944] World on a Wire (1973) • [#1187] Berlin Alexanderplatz (1980) • [#1338] Fanny and Alexander (1984) • [#1341] Tanner '88 (1988) • [#1371] Scenes from a Marriage (1973) *注：以下影片因 TMDB 尚未收录，暂不在此片单中展示：* • [#531] First (2012) • [#1699] Ulysse (1983) *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-11 07:39:08 UTC+8)*
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Frequently Asked Questions About Defending Your Life
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Defending Your Life about?
Is there love after death? After he dies suddenly, the hapless advertising executive Daniel Miller 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 offers him a chance to finally feel alive.
Who directed Defending Your Life?
Defending Your Life was directed by Albert Brooks.
Who stars in Defending Your Life?
The principal cast of Defending Your Life includes Albert Brooks, Meryl Streep, Rip Torn, Lee Grant, Michael Durrell.
When was Defending Your Life released and how long is it?
Defending Your Life was released in 1991 with a total runtime of 1h 51m.
What was the box office and production budget of Defending Your Life?
Defending Your Life had a reported production budget of $20M and grossed $16.4M at the worldwide box office (0.82 return on budget, classified as a underperformed).
Who composed the musical score for Defending Your Life?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Defending Your Life was composed by Michael Gore.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Defending Your Life?
Defending Your Life holds official age classifications: DE: 6 (FSK 6 — Restricted to viewers aged 6 and older.); GB: PG (Parental Guidance — Unlikely to upset children 8 and older.); US: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.).