Defending Your Life
Argentina Video Home | Release Date: April 5, 1991 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
63
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 14 Critic Reviews
Positive:
9
Mixed:
5
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
88
Chicago Sun-TimesRoger Ebert
The movie is funny in a warm, fuzzy way, and it has a splendidly satisfactory ending, which is unusual for an Albert Brooks film  Read full review
75
Baltimore SunLou Cedrone
If you're looking for a pleasing, reassuring film, try this one. Read full review
75
Washington PostDesson Thomson
Brooks-the-performer embodies the movie's spirit with superb modulation.  Read full review
75
Entertainment WeeklyMelissa Pierson
Brooks works the other side of the manic explosions of our most popular comics: His humor is reactive but no less funny. If you can reverse your expectations, this may find deserved afterlife on your TV. Read full review
70
Time OutStaff (Not Credited)
The film is finally too soft, but the performances are uniformly strong, the humour intelligently adult, and Brooks once again proves a pleasing alternative to Woody Allen. Read full review
70
VarietyStaff (Not Credited)
Defending Your Life is an inventive and mild bit of whimsy from Albert Brooks. Read full review
67
Austin ChronicleKathleen Maher
The movie's light, easily forgotten and very good for a few laughs. I sure hope that eating thing comes true. Read full review
67
Entertainment WeeklyOwen Gleiberman
A lackluster affair — smooth and mildly pleasant, with some honest chuckles but without Brooks’ special, prosaic madness. Read full review
63
The Seattle TimesJohn Hartl
Anyone who's been starved for Albert Brooks' brand of anxiety-ridden humor will not be completely disappointed. [24 Oct 1991, p.D3]
60
The New York TimesJanet Maslin
Within the larger context of the Brooks oeuvre, this pleasantly mortifying arrangement makes perfect sense. [22 Mar 1991, p.C12]
50
Los Angeles TimesSheila Benson
An intermittently funny if unsteady mixture of first-rate Brooks Angst, and set-ups that never quite pay off. [22 Mar 1991, p.F6]
50
Miami HeraldBill Cosford
Brooks as Brooks is the funniest observer of contemporary mores in Hollywood. Brooks behaving himself, as in Defending Your Life, is just another clever fellow. [05 Apr 1991, p.G5]
50
TV Guide MagazineStaff (Not Credited)
Unfortunately, Defending Your Life suffers from a slushy-headed pop fever. Read full review
40
EmpireRobyn Karney
The movie is lavishly designed and assembled. However, the sometimes muddled, sometimes boring, and definitely overlong screenplay, lacking subtlety and definition, disappoints the expectations of enjoyment that are set up in the first 15 minutes. Read full review
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