When I was a teacher, most of my students, at one time or another, would roll their heads back, stamp their feet, and declare, “I can’t do this.” When I used to question them to determine why, there never was a concrete answer. Oh, there were tons of whining, silly excuses, and overstated explanations. They often could not visualize themselves succeeding or completing the task at hand. My children had this same problem on occasion. They would look at me with big puppy-dog eyes and shout that same mantra, “I can’t…” Blah, blah, blah. This is what I heard in my head. It always fascinated me as to what was gripping both my school and family kids.
It can be frustrating and challenging to wonder whether someone can do or achieve something no one thinks they can. It creates sweaty palms and pits. It can leave wobbly legs, a racing heart, and bated breath. Yikes, what a terrible way to feel. This is the power fear has when we are approached with a decision to be made, a change in plans, traveling, trying someone or something new, and even stepping outside our comfort zones. Every horrendous scenario and dialogue enters our minds, and all at once, crippling effects take over. We are stuck in the “I cant’s.” In my life, when fear crept in, I flipped those moments on its ass. I chose not to live in fear. My inner chant was to dare the universe. What’s the worst that can happen? I agree, maybe someone will say no, but what if they say yes? Wow, you will never know unless you ask, try, or do. This was how I directed my plays with bigger casts, sets, and budgets each year. I said yes…because I believed we could do anything we set our minds to do. Fear will only hold a person back. There can be only one goal in life… ”moving forward.” Albert Brooks understood this perfectly when he created the brilliant, hilarious film DEFENDING YOUR LIFE in 1991. As the writer, director, and star, he made sure Daniel Miller faced the facts while riding the trams throughout Judgement City.
DEFENDING YOUR LIFE was precisely what the title says. A person lives, they die, and then a decision must be made about what happens next. Did they learn, grow, or stay the same? Are they a “should have, would have, could have person? Are they a “little brain” and meant to redo their time on earth at least twenty times as Daniel did? Judgement City was the opposite of maneuvering around for Julia (the incomparable Meryl Streep). Albert created this unique, quirky, humorous plot to highlight the differences in humanity and their approach to living your best life. It worked wonderfully. It allowed audiences to see and understand how fleeting our lives can be and what our daily choices should be.
There was a fantastic amount of chemistry among the cast. To coin a phrase, Meryl and Albert’s love relationship was “effortless.” Daniel was sort of a “sad sack” character, who had an extraordinary ability to make Julia laugh. It indeed was a match “made in heaven.” Their vocal and physical timing together was impeccable. Added to the mix was the ingenious acting chops of Rip Torn and Lee Grant. They had a blast arguing back and forth as the defending and prosecuting attorneys (even though it was repeatedly stated: “It was not a trial”).
What a hysterical moment to see Shirley MacLaine as the hostess and greeter for the Past Lives Pavilion. She was cast as a dig to everyone who disagreed with the theory of past lives regression. Shirley was a true believer. Several jokes were also directly aimed at the not-so-funny standup comedian in honor of Albert’s dad. It was a very poignant bit to include in the film.
The jokes in DEFENDING YOUR LIFE were non-stop. I laughed, snorted, smiled, chuckled, and giggled until tears slid down my cheeks. It was that kind of movie. Enjoyable and unforgettable. I loved the concept of being able to “eat all you want and not gain an ounce.” (If only that happened every day.)
Two lines took my breath away during the movie. The first was that all children who died were immediately moved forward. This is a lovely, kind thought. The second was clever. “I was trapped near the inner circle of thought.” Only Albert Brooks could write such a phrase while everyone would spend years trying to figure out what exactly it meant.
DEFENDING YOUR LIFE was a classic comedy masterpiece. It was heartwarming and included a profound, satisfying ending. The film was a fantasy showcasing daily, ordinary clips into how life should be lived, while including a montage of “164 misjudgments over a 12-day period.” It does not get any better than that.
DEFENDING YOUR LIFE is available to stream on MAX.
