Movie of the Week: ‘Defending Your Life’

“Defending Your Life” (1991) – Albert Brooks directs, writes, and stars in his surreal, thoughtful comedy, where he plays Daniel Miller, a man defending his life! Unfortunately, Dan’s life is cut short by an auto accident, and he ends up in Judgment City, a type of purgatory that looks like suburban Pasadena.  He’s on trial, although it’s not really called one, where his defender, a prosecutor, and two judges review nine days in Daniel’s time on Earth, which are like snippets from VCR recordings that are made by who knows…