The Beverly Theater brings Albert Brooks' brilliant 1991 comedy "Defending Your Life" to its intimate downtown Arts District venue. The film follows Daniel Miller, a Los Angeles advertising executive who dies in a car accident and finds himself in Judgment City, a way-station afterlife where he must literally defend his life choices before a tribunal to determine if he moves forward or gets sent back to Earth. Brooks wrote, directed, and stars alongside Meryl Streep in this thoughtful, surprisingly sweet meditation on fear, courage, and what it means to have lived well.

The film's blend of existential comedy and romance holds up remarkably well, with Brooks' signature neurotic humor perfectly suited to a protagonist grappling with his life's biggest regrets. Set against the surreal backdrop of Judgment City—an afterlife designed like an upscale resort complete with all-you-can-eat restaurants and comedy clubs—the movie asks bigger questions while never losing its lightness of touch. The Beverly Theater's excellent acoustics and cozy 150-seat layout make it an ideal setting to experience this underseen gem of early '90s cinema.