Defending Your Life (1991)
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.
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Albert Brooks
as Daniel Miller
as Daniel Miller
Meryl Streep
as Julia
as Julia
Rip Torn
as Bob Diamond
as Bob Diamond
Lee Grant
as Lena Foster
as Lena Foster
Michael Durrell
as Agency Head
as Agency Head
James Eckhouse
as Jeep Owner
as Jeep Owner
Gary Beach
as Car Salesman
as Car Salesman
Julie Cobb
as Tram Guide
as Tram Guide
Peter Schuck
as Stan
as Stan
Time Winters
as Porter
as Porter
Sharlie Stuart
as Susan
as Susan
Beth Black
as Soap Opera Woman
as Soap Opera Woman
Clayton Norcross
as Soap Opera Man
as Soap Opera Man
Jim McKrell
as Game Show Moderator
as Game Show Moderator
Wil Albert
as Game Show Contestant
as Game Show Contestant
Sage Allen
as Game Show Contestant
as Game Show Contestant
Mary Pat Gleason
as Waitress
as Waitress
Maxine Elliott Hicks
as Elderly Woman on Tram
as Elderly Woman on Tram
Marilyn Rockafellow
as Helen
as Helen
Roger Behr
as Comedian
as Comedian
Art Frankel
as Arthur
as Arthur
Ernie Brown
as Ernie
as Ernie
George D. Wallace
as Daniel's Judge
as Daniel's Judge
Lillian Lehman
as Daniel's Judge
as Daniel's Judge
Raffi Di Blasio
as Daniel as a Boy
as Daniel as a Boy
Kristopher Kent Hill
as Bully
as Bully
Eric Ehasz
as Child in Schoolyard
as Child in Schoolyard
Matthew Scharch
as Daniel as an Infant
as Daniel as an Infant
S. Scott Bullock
as Daniel's Father
as Daniel's Father
Carol Bivins
as Daniel's Mother
as Daniel's Mother
Ethan Embry
as Steve
as Steve
Gary Ballard
as Mr. Wadworth
as Mr. Wadworth
Mary Mukogawa
as Sushi Hostess
as Sushi Hostess
Toshio Shikami
as Head Sushi Chef
as Head Sushi Chef
Samee Park
as Sushi Chef
as Sushi Chef
Kagko Shikami
as Sushi Chef
as Sushi Chef
Tommy Inouye
as Sushi Chef
as Sushi Chef
Ken Thorley
as Frank
as Frank
Bob Braun
as Talk Show Host
as Talk Show Host
Jennifer Barlow Grodsky
as Talk Show Guest
as Talk Show Guest
Buck Henry
as Dick Stanley
as Dick Stanley
Joey Miyashima
as Casio Tipster
as Casio Tipster
Nurit Koppel
as Daniel's Date
as Daniel's Date
Susan Walters
as Daniel's Wife
as Daniel's Wife
Sidney Chankin
as Used Car Salesman
as Used Car Salesman
Greg Finley
as Used Car Salesman
as Used Car Salesman
Leonard O. Turner
as Sam
as Sam
Clifford Einstein
as Julia's Prosecutor
as Julia's Prosecutor
Rachel Bard
as Julia's Judge
as Julia's Judge
Newell Alexander
as Julia's Judge
as Julia's Judge
Shirley MacLaine
as Shirley MacLaine
as Shirley MacLaine
Hal Landon Jr.
as Man in Past Lives Pavilion
as Man in Past Lives Pavilion
Ida Lee
as Woman in Past Lives Pavilion
as Woman in Past Lives Pavilion
Noley Thornton
as Victorian Girl
as Victorian Girl
Glen Chin
as Sumo Wrestler
as Sumo Wrestler
James Ekim
as Native
as Native
Clarke Coleman
as Knight
as Knight
Ronald L. Colby
as Majestic Doorman
as Majestic Doorman
David Purdham
as Peter
as Peter
James Paradise
as Stage Manager
as Stage Manager
Jerry Prell
as Banquet Manager
as Banquet Manager
Arell Blanton
as Fire Marshall
as Fire Marshall
Shana Ballard
as Julia's Daughter
as Julia's Daughter
Chris Macris
as Julia's Son
as Julia's Son
Joseph Darrell
as Maitre d'
as Maitre d'
James Manis
as Eduardo
as Eduardo
Alex Sheafe
as Martin
as Martin
Cathleen Chin
as Ticket Counter Agent
as Ticket Counter Agent
Lisa Sears
as Tram Port Attendant
as Tram Port Attendant
Mark Dunlap
as Tram Port Attendant
as Tram Port Attendant
Vernon Roguen
as Tram Port Attendant
as Tram Port Attendant
Dennis Germain
as Tram Driver
as Tram Driver
Jorga Caye
as Deceased Lady (uncredited)
as Deceased Lady (uncredited)
Robert Gatewood
as Afterlife Traveler (uncredited)
as Afterlife Traveler (uncredited)
John Michael Quinn
as Man in Heaven (uncredited)
as Man in Heaven (uncredited)
Douglas M. Nelson
as Tram Attendee (uncredited)
as Tram Attendee (uncredited)
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Albert Brooks
Director
Director
Albert Brooks
Screenplay
Screenplay
Michael Grillo
Producer
Producer
Michael Gore
Original Music Composer
Original Music Composer
Allen Daviau
Director of Photography
Director of Photography
David Finfer
Editor
Editor
Barbara Claman
Casting
Casting
Mark Saks
Casting
Casting
Deborah L. Scott
Costume Design
Costume Design
Ida Random
Production Design
Production Design
Robert Grand
Co-Producer
Co-Producer
Herb Nanas
Executive Producer
Executive Producer
Robert Grand
Production Manager
Production Manager
Michael Grillo
First Assistant Director
First Assistant Director
Carey Dietrich
Second Assistant Director
Second Assistant Director
Richard Reynolds
Art Direction
Art Direction
Linda DeScenna
Set Decoration
Set Decoration
Ric McElvin
Leadman
Leadman
Donn Piller
Swing
Swing
John Rankin
Swing
Swing
Sara Gardner-Gail
Swing
Swing
Randy Bostic
Swing
Swing
James Hegedus
Production Illustrator
Production Illustrator
Martha Johnston
Set Designer
Set Designer
Eric Engler
Camera Operator
Camera Operator
Reggie Newkirk
First Assistant Camera
First Assistant Camera
Bobby Mancuso
Second Assistant Camera
Second Assistant Camera
Spencer Cross
Associate Editor
Associate Editor
Maureen Mitchell
Assistant Editor
Assistant Editor
John Morrisey
Assistant Editor
Assistant Editor
Judd H. Maslansky
Assistant Editor
Assistant Editor
Dane A. Davis
Supervising Sound Editor
Supervising Sound Editor
G.W. Brown
ADR Editor
ADR Editor
Jim Borgardt
ADR Editor
ADR Editor
John Kwiatkowski
Sound Effects Editor
Sound Effects Editor
Kimberly Lowe Voigt
Dialogue Editor
Dialogue Editor
Hector C. Gika
Dialogue Editor
Dialogue Editor
Robert Bradshaw
Dialogue Editor
Dialogue Editor
Tom Hammond
Foley Editor
Foley Editor
Valerie Davidson
Foley Editor
Foley Editor
Melinda Garey
Assistant Sound Editor
Assistant Sound Editor
Darrell Hall
Assistant Sound Editor
Assistant Sound Editor
Joan Rowe
Foley Artist
Foley Artist
Gregg Barbanell
Foley Artist
Foley Artist
Thomas Causey
Production Sound Mixer
Production Sound Mixer
Joseph F. Brennan
Boom Operator
Boom Operator
Richard Kite
Boom Operator
Boom Operator
Wayne Artman
Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Tom E. Dahl
Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Franklin Jones Jr.
Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Joel Moss
Scoring Mixer
Scoring Mixer
Curtis Roush
Music Editor
Music Editor
Shirley Walker
Orchestrator
Orchestrator
Steph Benseman
Location Manager
Location Manager
Lauren Ross
Assistant Location Manager
Assistant Location Manager
Luca Kouimelis
Script Supervisor
Script Supervisor
Annette Sutera
Second Second Assistant Director
Second Second Assistant Director
George Stokes
Construction Coordinator
Construction Coordinator
James F. Orendorff
Construction Foreman
Construction Foreman
Robert E. Denne
Standby Painter
Standby Painter
David Harris
Greensman
Greensman
John Thompson
Greensman
Greensman
Dennis Dion
Special Effects Supervisor
Special Effects Supervisor
Chris Burton
Special Effects Coordinator
Special Effects Coordinator
Michael Kenner
Key Grip
Key Grip
Jim Shelton
Dolly Grip
Dolly Grip
Larry Wallace
Chief Lighting Technician
Chief Lighting Technician
William R. Mayberry
Assistant Chief Lighting Technician
Assistant Chief Lighting Technician
Robert W. Meyers
Rigging Gaffer
Rigging Gaffer
Larry Clark Bird
Property Master
Property Master
Ken Zimmerman
Assistant Property Master
Assistant Property Master
Hallie D'Amore
Makeup Artist
Makeup Artist
Marlene D. Williams
Hairstylist
Hairstylist
J. Roy Helland
Makeup Artist
Makeup Artist
J. Roy Helland
Hairstylist
Hairstylist
George L. Little
Wardrobe Supervisor
Wardrobe Supervisor
Phyllis Corcoran-Woods
Set Costumer
Set Costumer
Deborah Hopper
Set Costumer
Set Costumer
Greg Hall
Set Costumer
Set Costumer
John George
Set Costumer
Set Costumer
Nancy Ramey
Production Accountant
Production Accountant
Cheri Hall
Assistant Accountant
Assistant Accountant
Lisbeth Wynn-Owen
Production Office Coordinator
Production Office Coordinator
Patti Hawn
Unit Publicist
Unit Publicist
Carol McCullough
Still Photographer
Still Photographer
Bill Erickson
Stunt Coordinator
Stunt Coordinator
Paul E. Short
Stunts
Stunts
Jeff Jensen
Stunts
Stunts
Maggie Erickson
Casting Assistant
Casting Assistant
Robert Raring
Color Timer
Color Timer
Mat Beck
Visual Effects Supervisor
Visual Effects Supervisor
Robert Stadd
Visual Effects Producer
Visual Effects Producer
Paul Slansky
Thanks
Thanks
Fernando Castroman
Assistant Director Trainee
Assistant Director Trainee
Cary Conway
Paint Coordinator
Paint Coordinator
Kini Kay
Sound Effects Editor
Sound Effects Editor
Val Kuklowsky
Sound Editor
Sound Editor
Richard L. Hill
Special Effects Technician
Special Effects Technician
Ken Allen
Matte Painter
Matte Painter
Jeff Burks
Animation Supervisor
Animation Supervisor
Jon Farhat
VFX Artist
VFX Artist
David Goldberg
Modelling Supervisor
Modelling Supervisor
Erik Henry
VFX Editor
VFX Editor
Robert Scifo
Matte Painter
Matte Painter
Kevin Scott Mack
Modeling
Modeling
Linda Renaud
VFX Editor
VFX Editor
James Valentine
Roto Supervisor
Roto Supervisor
Tom Bookout
Second Company Grip
Second Company Grip
Lee Redmond
Camera Operator
Camera Operator
László Regos
Steadicam Operator
Steadicam Operator
Laura Adler
Casting Assistant
Casting Assistant
Jenny O'Haver
Casting Assistant
Casting Assistant
Robert Foulkes
Assistant Location Manager
Assistant Location Manager
Tom Boyd
Musician
Musician
Bruce Fowler
Orchestrator
Orchestrator
Malcolm McNab
Musician
Musician
Louise Di Tullio
Musician
Musician
Shirley Walker
Conductor
Conductor
Tom Dias
Transportation Captain
Transportation Captain
Daniel Quick
Transportation Coordinator
Transportation Coordinator
John Sagray
Driver
Driver
Bill Daly
Post Production Accountant
Post Production Accountant
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