Defending Your Life (1991)

07 Mar 2023

Rating: 2.5/5

Probably a bad first Albert Brooks movie, oh well!

Seems like this had a big influence on The Good Place, especially the corporate middle management minutiae. This, however, is more coherent from a world-building perspective

I kind of hate when the lead is funny and everyone is constantly laughing at their jokes, especially when his are so mean-spirited

The multiple trials are so boring, the point is made early and then hammered over and over

Neat idea, funny approach to the afterlife, I do like the concept of being judged based on your bravery to ask for what you want out of it

However, there’s not enough meat on the bone to sustain the two hour runtime. If the lesson was more profound, if they devoted the runtime to something other than trials and food, anything really, it might have been a more enjoyable experience


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