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Defending Your Life
Synopsis
Albert Brooks wrote, directed, and stars in this philosophical comedy about a man having a hard time making a case for himself in the afterlife. When advertising executive Daniel Miller (Albert Brooks) finds himself in a fatal car crash minutes after taking delivery on a new BMW, he's whisked away to Judgment City, where the recently dead are put on a sort of trial to decide their fate. If in your time on Earth you were able to face your fears and learn from your mistakes, you get to move on to a life in a better world. However, if you didn't, you have to go back to Earth and try again. As he spends the next several days watching various episodes from his life, Daniel gets the impression he doesn't stand much of a chance of moving on -- and his representative, Bob Diamond (Rip Torn), seems to have little confidence in his case. In the meantime, he frequents Judgment City's many restaurants (where the food is delicious and you can eat all you want without gaining an ounce), pays a visit to the Past Life Pavilion, and meets Julia (Meryl Streep), who seems so kind, sweet, and noble that her advancement is practically assured. Daniel and Julia fall in love, but what's going to happen if they don't end up in the same place? Albert Brooks and Meryl Streep make a witty and engaging romantic team in Defending Your Life, and Shirley MacLaine appears in a highly appropriate cameo.~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
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Full Credits
  • Director:
    Albert Brooks,
  • Writer:
    Albert Brooks,
  • Producer:
    Michael Grillo,
  • Cinematographer:
    Allen Daviau,
  • Editor:
    David Finfer,
  • Executive Producer:
    Herb Nanas,
  • Cast:
    Rip Torn, Meryl Streep, Albert Brooks, Lee Grant, Michael Durrell,
  • Assistant Editor:
    John Morrisey, Judd H. Maslansky, Maureen Mitchell,
  • First Assistant Director:
    Michael Grillo,
  • Second Assistant Director:
    Carey Dietrich,
  • Second Second Assistant Director:
    Annette Sutera,
  • Co-Producer:
    Robert Grand,
  • Supervising Sound Editor:
    Dane A. Davis,
  • Camera Operator:
    Eric Engler,
  • Script Supervisor:
    Luca Kouimelis,
  • Boom Operator:
    Joseph F. Brennan, Richard Kite,
  • Construction Coordinator:
    George Stokes,
  • Construction Foreman:
    James F. Orendorff,
  • First Assistant Camera:
    Reggie Newkirk,
  • Location Manager:
    Steph Benseman,
  • Production Sound Mixer:
    Thomas Causey,
  • Property Master:
    Larry Clark Bird,
  • Sound Effects Editor:
    John Kwiatkowski,
  • Associate Editor:
    Spencer Cross,
  • Hairstylist:
    Marlene D. Williams, J. Roy Helland,
  • Assistant Sound Editor:
    Melinda Garey, Darrell Hall,
  • Music Editor:
    Curtis Roush,
  • Swing:
    John Rankin, Donn Piller, Sara Gardner-Gail, Randy Bostic,
  • Wardrobe Supervisor:
    George L. Little,
  • Sound Re-Recording Mixer:
    Franklin Jones Jr., Tom E. Dahl, Wayne Artman,
  • Color Timer:
    Robert Raring,
  • Original Music Composer:
    Michael Gore,
  • Production Design:
    Ida Random,
  • Assistant Location Manager:
    Lauren Ross,
  • Set Costumer:
    Deborah Hopper, Phyllis Corcoran-Woods, John George, Greg Hall,
  • Makeup Artist:
    J. Roy Helland, Hallie D'Amore,
  • Production Manager:
    Robert Grand,
  • Foley Artist:
    Joan Rowe, Gregg Barbanell,
  • Thanks:
    Paul Slansky,
  • Art Direction:
    Richard Reynolds,
  • Still Photographer:
    Carol McCullough,
  • Casting:
    Mark Saks, Barbara Claman,
  • Set Decoration:
    Linda DeScenna,
  • Production Office Coordinator:
    Lisbeth Wynn-Owen,
  • Foley Editor:
    Tom Hammond, Valerie Davidson,
  • Orchestrator:
    Shirley Walker,
  • Visual Effects Producer:
    Robert Stadd,
  • Dialogue Editor:
    Robert Bradshaw, Hector C. Gika, Kimberly Ellen Lowe,
  • Stunt Coordinator:
    Bill Erickson,
  • Assistant Chief Lighting Technician:
    William R. Mayberry,
  • Dolly Grip:
    Jim Shelton,
  • Stunts:
    Jeff Jensen, Paul E. Short,
  • Key Grip:
    Michael Kenner,
  • Visual Effects Editor:
    Erik Henry,
  • Production Illustrator:
    James Hegedus,
  • Screenplay:
    Albert Brooks,
  • ADR Editor:
    G.W. Brown, Jim Borgardt,
  • Leadman:
    Ric McElvin,
  • Second Assistant Camera:
    Bobby Mancuso,
  • Casting Assistant:
    Maggie Erickson,
  • Assistant Property Master:
    Ken Zimmerman,
  • Chief Lighting Technician:
    Larry Wallace,
  • Visual Effects Supervisor:
    Mat Beck, Jon Farhat,
  • Scoring Mixer:
    Joel Moss,
  • Assistant Accountant:
    Cheri Hall,
  • Special Effects Coordinator:
    Chris Burton,
  • Unit Publicist:
    Patti Hawn,
  • Rigging Gaffer:
    Robert W. Meyers,
  • Set Designer:
    Martha Johnston,
  • Greensman:
    John Thompson, David Harris,
  • Standby Painter:
    Robert E. Denne,
  • Costume Design:
    Deborah Lynn Scott,
  • Production Accountant:
    Nancy Ramey,
  • Special Effects Supervisor:
    Dennis Dion,

Technical specifications

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