Unletterboxd

Defending Your Life

19916.9 / 10111 min

Comedy, Fantasy, Romance, Drama

Overview

The first true story of what happens after you die.

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.

Cast

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

Marilyn Rockafellow

Helen

Roger Behr

Comedian

Art Frankel

Arthur

Ernie Brown

Ernie

George D. Wallace

Daniel's Judge

Lillian Lehman

Daniel's Judge

Raffi Di Blasio

Daniel as a Boy

Kristopher Kent Hill

Bully

Eric Ehasz

Child in Schoolyard

Matthew Scharch

Daniel as an Infant

S. Scott Bullock

Daniel's Father

Carol Bivins

Daniel's Mother

Ethan Embry

Steve

Gary Ballard

Mr. Wadworth

Mary Mukogawa

Sushi Hostess

Toshio Shikami

Head Sushi Chef

Samee Park

Sushi Chef

Kagko Shikami

Sushi Chef

Tommy Inouye

Sushi Chef

Ken Thorley

Frank

Bob Braun

Talk Show Host

Jennifer Barlow Grodsky

Talk Show Guest

Buck Henry

Dick Stanley

Joey Miyashima

Casio Tipster

Nurit Koppel

Daniel's Date

Susan Walters

Daniel's Wife

Sidney Chankin

Used Car Salesman

Greg Finley

Used Car Salesman

Leonard O. Turner

Sam

Clifford Einstein

Julia's Prosecutor

Rachel Bard

Julia's Judge

Newell Alexander

Julia's Judge

Shirley MacLaine

Hal Landon Jr.

Man in Past Lives Pavilion

Ida Lee

Woman in Past Lives Pavilion

Noley Thornton

Victorian Girl

Glen Chin

Sumo Wrestler

James Ekim

Native

Clarke Coleman

Knight

Ronald L. Colby

Majestic Doorman

David Purdham

Peter

James Paradise

Stage Manager

Jerry Prell

Banquet Manager

Arell Blanton

Fire Marshall

Shana Ballard

Julia's Daughter

Chris Macris

Julia's Son

Joseph Darrell

Maitre d'

James Manis

Eduardo

Alex Sheafe

Martin

Cathleen Chin

Ticket Counter Agent

Lisa Sears

Tram Port Attendant

Mark Dunlap

Tram Port Attendant

Vernon Roguen

Tram Port Attendant

Dennis Germain

Tram Driver

Jorga Caye

Deceased Lady (uncredited)

Robert Gatewood

Afterlife Traveler (uncredited)

John Michael Quinn

Man in Heaven (uncredited)

Douglas M. Nelson

Tram Attendee (uncredited)

Crew

Michael Grillo

Producer

Michael Gore

Original Music Composer

Albert Brooks

Director

Albert Brooks

Screenplay

David Finfer

Editor

Allen Daviau

Director of Photography

Mark Saks

Casting

Barbara Claman

Casting

Deborah L. Scott

Costume Design

Ida Random

Production Design

Robert Grand

Co-Producer

Herb Nanas

Executive Producer

John Rankin

Swing

John Morrisey

Assistant Editor

Kimberly Lowe Voigt

Dialogue Editor

Donn Piller

Swing

Dennis Dion

Special Effects Supervisor

Dane A. Davis

Supervising Sound Editor

Jim Borgardt

ADR Editor

G.W. Brown

ADR Editor

Michael Grillo

First Assistant Director

Bobby Mancuso

Second Assistant Camera

Reggie Newkirk

First Assistant Camera

Martha Johnston

Set Designer

Valerie Davidson

Foley Editor

Sara Gardner-Gail

Swing

Judd H. Maslansky

Assistant Editor

James Hegedus

Production Illustrator

Tom Hammond

Foley Editor

Carey Dietrich

Second Assistant Director

Eric Engler

Camera Operator

Linda DeScenna

Set Decoration

Randy Bostic

Swing

Robert Grand

Production Manager

Richard Reynolds

Art Direction

Ric McElvin

Leadman

Spencer Cross

Associate Editor

Maureen Mitchell

Assistant Editor

John Kwiatkowski

Sound Effects Editor

Franklin Jones Jr.

Sound Re-Recording Mixer

Curtis Roush

Music Editor

Larry Clark Bird

Property Master

Gregg Barbanell

Foley Artist

Tom E. Dahl

Sound Re-Recording Mixer

Shirley Walker

Orchestrator

Steph Benseman

Location Manager

Jim Shelton

Dolly Grip

Larry Wallace

Chief Lighting Technician

Chris Burton

Special Effects Coordinator

Richard Kite

Boom Operator

Wayne Artman

Sound Re-Recording Mixer

John Thompson

Greensman

Joan Rowe

Foley Artist

Joseph F. Brennan

Boom Operator

William R. Mayberry

Assistant Chief Lighting Technician

Lauren Ross

Assistant Location Manager

Robert W. Meyers

Rigging Gaffer

Hallie D'Amore

Makeup Artist

Ken Zimmerman

Assistant Property Master

Melinda Garey

Assistant Sound Editor

Hector C. Gika

Dialogue Editor

Annette Sutera

Second Second Assistant Director

Robert E. Denne

Standby Painter

Marlene D. Williams

Hairstylist

Robert Bradshaw

Dialogue Editor

Darrell Hall

Assistant Sound Editor

Thomas Causey

Production Sound Mixer

Luca Kouimelis

Script Supervisor

David Harris

Greensman

J. Roy Helland

Hairstylist

George Stokes

Construction Coordinator

Joel Moss

Scoring Mixer

James F. Orendorff

Construction Foreman

Cheri Hall

Assistant Accountant

Patti Hawn

Unit Publicist

Maggie Erickson

Casting Assistant

John George

Set Costumer

Nancy Ramey

Production Accountant

Bill Erickson

Stunt Coordinator

Jeff Jensen

Stunts

George L. Little

Wardrobe Supervisor

Lisbeth Wynn-Owen

Production Office Coordinator

Paul E. Short

Stunts

Michael Kenner

Key Grip

J. Roy Helland

Makeup Artist

Robert Raring

Color Timer

Phyllis Corcoran-Woods

Set Costumer

Deborah Hopper

Set Costumer

Paul Slansky

Thanks

Robert Stadd

Visual Effects Producer

Mat Beck

Visual Effects Supervisor

Greg Hall

Set Costumer

Carol McCullough

Still Photographer

Cary Conway

Paint Coordinator

Fernando Castroman

Assistant Director Trainee

Ken Allen

Matte Painter

Kevin Scott Mack

Modeling

Tom Bookout

Second Company Grip

Robert Foulkes

Assistant Location Manager

Richard L. Hill

Special Effects Technician

Shirley Walker

Conductor

Lee Redmond

Camera Operator

Robert Scifo

Matte Painter

Malcolm McNab

Musician

James Valentine

Roto Supervisor

Jon Farhat

VFX Artist

Laura Adler

Casting Assistant

Tom Boyd

Musician

Bruce Fowler

Orchestrator

Bill Daly

Post Production Accountant

Val Kuklowsky

Sound Editor

Jeff Burks

Animation Supervisor

Linda Renaud

VFX Editor

Louise Di Tullio

Musician

David Goldberg

Modelling Supervisor

Tom Dias

Transportation Captain

László Regos

Steadicam Operator

Kini Kay

Sound Effects Editor

Erik Henry

VFX Editor

Jenny O'Haver

Casting Assistant

Daniel Quick

Transportation Coordinator

John Sagray

Driver