MovieChat Forums > Defending Your Life (1991) Discussion > A buddist afterlife, is that why unpopul...

A buddist afterlife, is that why unpopular?

posted 19 years ago by AuntieV_aka_Slagg
4 replies | jump to latest

Afterall, Brooks goes to an afterlife full of levels of rewards and questions and no particular punishment. The worst possible punishment is heading back to Earth. Even the porn guy isn't in any particular torment for his "sins". Perhaps why it didn't receivethe publicity or interest from the general public in the U.S.? Afterall it's fairly blasphemous, ain't it?

I think the film is charming, but wonder if the satire would've been funnier if Brooks had gone further. ie) Murderers in a trailer park, watching EVERY DAY of their life, feasting on fast food?

One does not sell the land on which people walk

[–] FlyingPie 18 years ago

There are people from all different walks of life in the US, and I doubt you could contribute this movie's unpopularity to its buddhist outlook. I've known people from different religions who are open-minded enough to toy with different ideas.

I'd guess that one major reason this movie isn't too popular is that there are probably a lot of people who just don't get the humor. My mom has seen this movie before and has said that she didn't particularly care for it. When I talk about this movie, she doesn't seem to understand the humor.

[–] My_Name_Is_Lydia 18 years ago

It wasn't popular because it got absolutely ZERO publicity. The people who have sought it out (or stumbled upon it) love it.

...and that's all I have to say about that.

[–] sstovall-1 18 years ago

I'm a Christian who believes the bible is infallible but I still love this movie. While I don't believe in the premise of reincarnation, the Brooks character of a schlub who finally finds true love is rather uplifting. Plus the incredible dialogue that typifies a Brooks movie (Broadcast News, Mother, Lost in America) is great. His take on things that most peole never even think twice about is just incredibly funny.

[–] bigdanny77 18 years ago

Your right im CHRISTIAN also but they dont even refer to GOD, but only one time when RIP TORN laughs and said Wow there realy is a GOD. The reincarnation i dont agree with but its a great movie!They also talk about being one in the universe to earn your part in it!Its also got some refrensies to hinduism because they belive in a never ending recycle process, from what i understood from watching a program with CARL SAGAN,please correct me if im not correct!He mentioned that we might be a process of the big bang that sounds like matter expands and re creates itself.I thought the big bang was theory by a CATHOLIC PREIST.Its got some good things too think about in this film but its mereley for entertainment purposes!I heard somthing that made me think someone online who said how do we know that GOD only had one project! I asked the quistion but he said he made us in his image, so maybe theres other things out there but not like us! The person made me laugh by saying why would GOD make the same mistake again knowing how humans act in society!