Defending Your Life (1991) - "Living For The Streep" Series

“Living for the STREEP” Series: We are here to celebrate the career of Mary Louise Streep….now known to most as Meryl Streep who has become widely known by critics, film-lovers, and audiences as likely our GREATEST LIVING ACTRESS.  Ever since her earlier breakout roles in the late 1970’s in films such as The Deer Hunter, and Kramer Vs. Kramer, she has carved out a filmography filled with brilliant performances in memorable films spanning a variety of genres including biopics, thrillers, family dramas, AND comedies.  During this time, she has also earned a STAGGERING TWENTY-ONE Oscar nominations including THREE wins.  Over the next several months, I will be revisiting one notable Streep film each month – each highlighting a different type of performance – culminating with the May 1 release of the long-awaited sequel featuring one of her more ICONIC roles as Miranda Priestly, The Devil Wears Prada 2.

The legendary Albert Brooks (Lost In America, The Muse, Modern Romance) wrote, directed, AND starred in this afterlife comedy as Daniel, an advertising executve who just died after colliding head-on with a bus.  Alas, Daniel now finds himself spending a few days in a otherwordly weigh station named, "Judgement City" where will sort go on trial to "defend his life."  What he didn't count on was falling in love....which he does with Julia played by....you guessed it....Meryl Streep.  And what results is a life-affirming romantic comedy also featuring fun performances from Rip Torn (Men In Black) and Lee Grant (Shampoo) as opposing counsel in Daniel's trial. 

Host & Editor: Geoff Gershon
Producer: Marlene Gershon 

Transcript

“Living for the STREEP” Series: We are here to celebrate the career of Mary Louise Streep originally from Summit, New Jersey….now known to most as Meryl Streep who has become widely known by critics, film-lovers, and audiences as likely our GREATEST LIVING ACTRESS.  Ever since her earlier breakout roles in the late 1970’s in films such as Julia, The Deer Hunter, and Kramer Vs. Kramer, she has carved out a filmography filled with brilliant performances in memorable films spanning a variety of genres including biopics, thrillers, family dramas, AND comedies.  During this time, she has also earned a STAGGERING TWENTY-ONE Oscar nominations including THREE wins.  Over the next several months, I will be revisiting one notable Streep film each month – each highlighting a different type of performance – culminating with the May 1 release of the long-awaited sequel featuring one of her more ICONIC roles as Miranda Priestly, The Devil Wears Prada 2. (Music playing over)

DEFENDING YOUR LIFE – 1991        Directed by Albert Brooks

Starring Albert Brooks, Meryl Streep, Rip Torn, Lee Grant, Michael Durrell, James Eckhouse, Gary Beach, Julie Cobb, Peter Schuck, Roger Behr, George D. Wallace, Lillian Lehman, Leonard O Turner, and Buck Henry

Genre:  Fantasy Comedy (Audio clip)

Having seen most of the films Albert Brooks has written and directed (Lost In America, Modern Romance, The Muse, Mother), I would definitely consider this one to be his LEAST cynical....even though the film pretty much opens with his protagonist Daniel Miller (Brooks) accidentally driving head-on into a bus and dying. 😆 We're never really meant to feel the terror or weight of his death and that's probably just as well because Brooks was never that type of filmmaker....nor is this THAT kind of movie.

At its core, this is very much a breezy romantic comedy set during the afterlife...the tone is consistently light but like say a Groundhog Day, there ARE some philosophical explorations embedded within the comedy. The whole premise centers on Daniel spending a few days in a pleasant enough Orlando-like purgatory/weigh station named "Judgment City" where he will sort of go on trial to "defend his life." His most recent life will be examined in depth in a "court" to determine as to whether he was able to conquer his fear. And if the determination is made that he did, his spirit moves on to a higher place....if not, then it's BACK to Earth to start over with a new life. 🤫

It's a pretty clever premise and I believe the only fantastical one Brooks has ever tackled as an autuer (I don't think The Muse really counts). And as you would expect, he's able to milk plenty of comedic possibilities out of this setting in front of and behind the camera. 😉His Daniel is predictably nebishy wandering about, trying to balance the joys (you can eat ALL you want without gaining weight and apparently the food is FANTASTIC) of being here with the lingering embarrassment that he IS here and isn't likely to convince the judges. All of the judgement stuff is fun and the central driver of the story, helped a great deal by the two actors playing opposing counsel....

Rip Torn (during a PEAK period for the actor when he was co-starring on "The Larry Sanders Show") is just having a ball delivering a nice acid turn as Bob Diamond, the attorney defending Daniel while Lee Grant (Shampoo, Mulholland Drive) is holding her own, delivering an impassioned turn as Lena Foster, the prosecutor (?) who is attempting to prove that Daniel has NOT conquered her fear. And judging by most of the flashback footage of his life which we see as evidence in this court, it's pretty obvious that she has a good case. 😮 What none of these folks (most of all Daniel) ever counted on was Daniel falling in love. 

And that's where Meryl Streep's Julia comes in as a fellow "little brain" (as the recently deceased are jokingly referred to) who is also being judged. She and Daniel have a Meet Cute in a comedy club (!), begin seeing each other, and strike up a romance. 

So yeah like a Groundhog Day or a Tootsie when it's mainly just farce and/or social commentary for most of the runtime...this movie just kinda sneaks up on you with the love story in the end. I certainly wouldn't call it the BEST film which Albert Brooks has done but it probably has the most heart.

Meryl Oscar Clip (Meryl Streep has become such a consummate actress on-screen that many just ASSUME – fair or not – that she will delivering scenes designed to highlight her “acting” ability.  This would be the moment of her performance in this film which seems the most IDEAL to play as a clip on the Oscar’s): 

I’m going to get to this in just a bit but with regards to Streep, it’s KIND of slimmer pickings here as she’s just not in this film as much as the others in this series nor given as much meaty to do.  However…..she DOES flex her physical comedy chops and in only a manner which Streep can.  I mentioned previously how one of THE big selling points of Judgement City is the FOOD right?  Well the pure unadulterated joy exhibited by Streep’s Julie is never better demonstrated than during a scene about half-way through when she and Daniel go on a date to an Italian restaurant……apparently both the spaghetti and the shrimp are FANTASTIC, both of them are selling it well.  The highlight of this sequence occurs when Daniel realizes that his opposing prosecutor is sitting just a few tables away, he’s embarrassed to even be in her presence….even moreso as Julia is slurping a VERY long noodle.  Just fun stuff, especially the thumbs up given by Julia when she finally finishes – Streep’s clearly having fun and it’s infectious! (Audio clip) 

Best Needledrop (best song cue or score used throughout runtime of film): 

Honestly one of the secret weapons for what makes this film work is the score – it’s actually quite repetitive at points, sounds very much like a typical comedy theme from this era.  And it comes to us from a musician/producer who did a few notable scores – mainly for Terms of Endearment which he DID win an Oscar for – but was JUST as well-known for some of the genuinely iconic soundtracks which he produced for films in the ‘80’s including Fame, Pretty In Pink, and previous episode Footloose.  I’m referring to New York City native Michael Gore and admittedly his music for this film is peppy and fun whenever it needs to be. (Audio clip) 

But at the end of the day, this film really DOES have a genuinely moving and catchy central theme…I swear I can never get this out of my head for days after watching this.  It’s pretty much mostly standard orchestration filled with strings but I would still consider this to be THE definition of “life affirming” music – especially when that tuba and those trumpets are just BURSTING out in triumph.  Just try to NOT smile when you hear it, especially if you have seen this film. (Audio clip) 

Wasted Talent (most under-utilized talent involved with film):

If I'm being honest, probably the most disappointing aspect of this film is that contrary to how it was marketed, Streep is actually not in the film THAT much....she's in essence the fourth lead behind Brooks, Torn, and Grant. (Wow that sounds like a law firm 🙄) Now as an actress, Streep has often made great hay out of many a supporting turn but what's even stranger is that she is basically written very much as "manic pixie dreamgirl" love interest. 

Her Julia is pretty, funny, and always pleasant - on paper, I'm pretty sure that Streep has never played a character THIS simple and it almost seems like a role which she seems overqualified for. She's just not given a lot of meaty stuff to do though Streep is clearly having a good time here. :) I'm not even completely sure that she and Brooks have much in the way of chemistry though they do play off of each other well with the comedy. (Them both visiting the "Past Lives Pavillion" together is a hoot!) 

Trailer Moment (scene or moment that best describes this movie):

Following up on the Streepness of it all though…..here's the thing: when we get to that touching climax involving the trams leaving Judgement City...and Daniel is finally finding his courage to seek her out and they're both just DESPERATE to reunite and the music is swelling up? Man I just ALWAYS find myself choking up. 😥 And that's the power of Brooks (more his writing and direction, the acting is solid enough) and STREEP of course! Even with a seemingly underwritten character, she just knows how to turn it on when it counts.  It’s the emotional payoff of the story and SO satisfying! (Audio clip) 

MVP (person or people most responsible for the success of this film): 

Yup at the end of the day as he wrote, directed, AND starred in this film…..it comes down to Brooks.  Not EVERY joke lands….in fact this film’s runner of the “endless buffet” probably gets repeated a couple too many times.  But the film is funny enough and whatever it might lack in biting humor, it more than makes up for with heart.  This was clearly AB stretching a bit and I’m glad that he did – for successfully defending his life, Albert Brooks is the MVP.  

Final Rating: 4.25 stars out of 5

Of the Albert Brooks vehicles which I have seen, this is probably right in the middle – I would consider Lost in America to be his best overall film and Mother to be my personal favorite.  And it’s fun to see him an Streep together.  Happy 35th Anniversary to also what I could consider one of the better after-life movies of the ‘90’s….think about it there were actually quite a few notable ones:  Ghost, The Sixth Sense, What Dreams May Come, Flatliners, City of Angels….and previous episode Jacob’s Ladder.  This is also very likely the funniest of that bunch. 

 (Audio clip) 

Streaming on Prime Video

And that ends another LITTLE BRAIN review!