Defending Your Life

Defending Your Life is is definitely one of the best movies about the afterlife. The story follows Daniel Miller, a middle-aged advertising executive who tragically dies in a car accident. Instead of moving on to the traditional afterlife, Daniel finds himself in a purgatory-like realm called Judgment City.

In Judgment City, individuals are subjected to a detailed examination of their lives by a panel of judges. The purpose of this evaluation is to determine whether they have lived their lives with enough courage and integrity to move on to a higher plane of existence or if they will be sent back to Earth for another chance.

As Daniel undergoes his judgment, he meets and becomes infatuated with a spirited woman named Julia. Together, they navigate the strange and amusing customs of Judgment City while reflecting on their past lives through a series of vivid and humorous flashbacks.

Defending Your Life shines through its masterful and clever blend of comedy, romance, and philosophical contemplation, which helps explore the nature of human existence and the choices we make during our time on Earth. Its witty dialogue, charming performances by Albert Brooks and Meryl Streep, and imaginative portrayal of the afterlife seal the deal, offering a lighthearted yet insightful messages of personal growth and self-discovery.

Release: 1991

Stars : Albert Brooks, Meryl Streep, Rip Torn

Rotten Tomatoes: 98%