TRIAL AND ERROR
A film review by Scott Renshaw
Copyright 1997 Scott Renshaw
(New Line) Starring: Michael Richards, Jeff Daniels, Charlize Theron, Jessica Steen, Rip Torn, Austin Pendleton. Screenplay: Sara Bernstein and Gregory Bernstein. Producers: Gary Ross and Jonathan Lynn. Director: Jonathan Lynn. MPAA Rating: PG-13 (profanity, adult themes) Running Time: 98 minutes. Reviewed by Scott Renshaw.
On its face, director Jonathan Lynn's decision to make TRIAL AND ERROR looks like a very, very bad one. Sure, he had an unexpected success with a previous film about an inexperienced attorney fumbling around in a backwater courtroom (MY COUSIN VINNY), but that was exactly the reason not to try it again. The subject matter is flimsy enough without trying to make it work _twice_; such hubris usually guarantees the wrath of the cinematic Fates. Yet TRIAL AND ERROR somehow turns out to be another lightweight-but-agreeable comedy in the tradition of MY COUSIN VINNY, with just enough smiles and giggles to prove satisfying.
"Seinfeld's" Michael Richards stars as Richard Rietti, a rarely-employed actor in Los Angeles who is about to act as best man for his long-time friend, attorney Charlie Tuttle (Jeff Daniels). Charlie is marrying the boss's daughter (Aleksandra Wentworth), and joining the family means getting choice assignments like helping out a distant relative of the boss's wife who has been charged with fraud in a small Nevada town. Dealing with the case looks to eliminate plans for a bachelor party, but Richard shows up in Nevada to send Charlie off in style. That send-off sends Charlie off to bed with a hangover and two black eyes after a bar fight, inspiring Richard to "help out" by posing as Charlie in court. Desperate to avoid disaster -- as well as several felony counts -- Charlie tries to help Richard maintain the illusion that he is actually Charlie Tuttle, while mounting the notorious "Twinkie defense" for their client (Rip Torn).
It's hard to get terribly worked up over either the positive or negative qualities of TRIAL AND ERROR. The character arcs -- flaky actor Richard learns to take some responsibility for his actions, while uptight lawyer Charlie learns to go after what he wants rather than what he is supposed to want -- are simply designed and efficiently resolved, but rather poorly developed. The comic situations offer consistent chuckles, as well as a fair number of missed opportunities. The casting presents appealing and talented performers like Richards, Daniels, Torn and Charlize Theron (sparkling with energy as a waitress who steals Charlie's heart) then gives them little to do. Time and again TRIAL AND ERROR will deliver a really satisfying moment, only to follow it up with an underwhelming one.
It's actually to Lynn's credit, however, that TRIAL AND ERROR never seems like it's straining for every possible laugh. That's what you might have expected if the film had been set up as a star vehicle for Richards; the idea of LIAR LIAR with Richards in the lead is primally disturbing. As it turns out, Richards and Jeff Daniels share the spotlight quite comfortably. Richards's role isn't far removed from "Seinfeld's" Kramer, providing the expected physical comedy and goofy reaction takes. In a hilarious scene early in the film, Richard does his "mafia bit" during an acting audition, which consists of doing a solo impression of a man being beaten insensible. As he contorts his body to simulate getting a kick to the ribs, you wonder whether Richards can defy gravity to suit his comic purposes. Yet Daniels is never treated strictly as a second banana; in fact, his romantic sub-plot may be the real heart of the film. The two gifted supporting actors do something fairly rare in screen buddy comedies: they actually support each other, rather than trying to step on each other.
Despite the effective pairing of Richards and Daniels, TRIAL AND ERROR doesn't generate as many laughs as it should, particularly in the courtroom. Richards' legend-in-his-own mind actor is a howl when he tries to translate the confrontational hyperbolics of fictional courtrooms to the real world, but that doesn't happen often enough. He also doesn't have as effective a foil as Joe Pesci had in MY COUSIN VINNY; neither Austin Pendleton (as the judge) nor Jessica Steen (as the incredulous prosecutor) can match the late Fred Gwynne's imposing presence. Only at isolated moments, like during Torn's sob-story testimony, does the script really seem to be providing A-level material. TRIAL AND ERROR isn't a truly memorable comedy, but it's a well-paced and frequently amusing one. Let's just hope Jonathan Lynn doesn't decide to prove a third time can still be a charmer.
On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 plea bargains: 6.
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