The Eat Cute: Three pounds of pasta in DEFENDING YOUR LIFE

The Eat Cute: Where food and film meet

I recently watched the movie Defending Your Life (1991) and learned that Meryl Streep is not only fantastic in dramas, but she’s excellent in rom-coms. I also learned that Defending Your Life is one of the greatest food movies.

In this movie, there are mentions and depictions of turkey with stuffing, hot dogs, salmon, glowfish, cheese omelet, roast chicken, cream-filled chocolate swans, sushi, pies, cheese on broccoli, shrimp, and, of course, pasta. In the world of Judgment City, where people’s lives are on trial, you can eat as much as you want without being affected at all. That means people can eat 30 shrimp without the consequences of high cholesterol. Food is prepared almost immediately and everything tastes like it’s the best meal you’ve ever eaten.

Defending Your Life is about a man who has to defend his life and convince judges that he made the most of his time on Earth. Daniel (played by Albert Brooks) is killed when he’s hit by a bus and finds himself in Judgment City to defend his actions on Earth in order to move on to a higher plane of existence. If he doesn’t defend his life, he goes back to Earth to do it all again. While he’s in Judgment City, Daniel meets and falls in love with Julia (played by Meryl Streep), who was practically an angel on Earth and will no question be moving on to a higher existence. There are lawyers involved, down-to-the-second playbacks of your life, and as I mentioned, so much good food.

Judgment City was created to look like life as the recently deceased knew it (there are even suggestion boxes placed around the city for ideas on how to make it even more lifelike). In this world, as it can be on Earth, food is more than just fuel for the body. Food brings those on trial comfort and a piece of home. Judgment City’s food satisfies their souls. It’s a source of happiness during this difficult and confusing time in their afterlives.

As in life, food brings characters in movies together. At a sushi restaurant in Judgment City, Daniel meets a man who sold adult books for a living. Though their chat is brief, we learn that the man is on trial for fifteen days, six days longer than Daniel’s nine-day judgment period. Whether you’re in advertising or sell adult books or are Meryl Streep, at the end of the day we can sit down next to a stranger, have a conversation, and eat a delicious meal.

There’s a laugh-out-loud scene that involves three pounds of pasta and one very long noodle that comes at a critical point in the movie. Julia, calm and collected as always, tells Daniel to calm down when his prosecutor sits down for dinner at the same Italian restaurant where they’re dining.  

This scene offers comical relief at a point when Daniel needs it most. After several days of life playbacks and debates between lawyers, Daniel is at the point where he feels like he might lose his case and be sent back to Earth. The problem with him, according to the prosecutor, is that Daniel was too fearful in his life.

While Julia sucks up a never-ending noodle while the prosecutor watches, Daniel delivers hilarious one-liners like, “Where’s that gonna end?” and “You’re having fun and that’s the important thing.” Julia is Daniel’s opposite in many ways, but in this scene, she continues to have her fun. Their banter demonstrates their growing emotions for one another, despite Daniel being anxious about the prosecutor watching them.

Food shows us who characters are in movies. When the waiter asks Julia if she likes pasta, she tells him she likes pasta very much. When the waiter asks Daniel if he likes shrimp, Daniel asks him if the shrimp are high in cholesterol. When Julia indulges in her three pounds of pasta, Daniel says, “I’m eating 30 shrimp. I’m a pig.” After the noodle finally ends, Julia says hello to the prosecutor on her way to the restroom. Daniel stays back at the table, nervous about what the prosecutor must be thinking about him. Julia is secure with herself. Daniel fears consequences and being judged.

Food can be used to illustrate inequality and class differences. Daniel is put up in the Continental Hotel, a chain hotel with decent rooms and diner-style breakfasts. Julia, on the other hand, stays at The Majestic Hotel where there are fountains in the lobby, Jacuzzis in the bathrooms, and cream-filled chocolate swans. At Daniel’s hotel, he’s given breath mints. These brief mentions of food provide a bigger picture. Julia and Daniel lived their lives on Earth differently. In Judgment City, how well you lived your life on Earth becomes clear through the amenities and facilities.

To further exemplify inequality, those who exist on a higher plane of existence (aka the Big Brains) eat food that looks unappetizing but tastes incredible only to them because they’ve manipulated their senses. Those on trial (aka the Small Brains) still have senses that are adjusted to Earth food.

Food unites us and delights us. Similar to how many of us feel about food on Earth, food is adored in the afterlife. However, unlike on Earth, in Judgment City, there are no consequences to what you eat or how much of it you indulge in. After long days of being judged, food provides comfort in a judgment-free zone. Judgment City technically isn’t heaven, but with delicious food that has zero consequences, it might as well be.

Photos from Defending Your Life