IMDb RATING
5.8/10
7.9K
YOUR RATING
An actor poses as a lawyer to help his sick friend, and problems develop.An actor poses as a lawyer to help his sick friend, and problems develop.An actor poses as a lawyer to help his sick friend, and problems develop.
Michelle C. Bonilla
- Court Reporter
- (as Michelle Bonilla)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaIn Italy, the film was released under the title "Ancora più scemo" and in Germany, the title was "Noch dümmer". Both titles translate as "Even more Dumber". This was done to make the audience believe that the movie was a sequel to Dumb and Dumber (1994).
- Quotes
Charles Tuttle: I don't pose, I don't preen, I don't put perjured testimony on the stand. I don't make a mockery of the American legal system.
Richard Rietti: Well, you got your style. I got mine.
Charles Tuttle: No, you got nothing. You've got nothing. You've got a S.A.G. card and a rent-controlled apartment in Santa Monica. That's what you've got. You're in over your head, Richard. You don't have the equipment for this.
- Crazy creditsSound technician Brian McPherson is credited as "hothead technician."
- SoundtracksPleasin' You
Written by Anders Osborne
Performed by Anders Osborne
Courtesy of Okeh/Epic Records
By arrangement with Sony Music Licensing
Featured review
What's a courtroom circus without a couple of clowns?
"My Cousin Vinny" director Jonathan Lynn returns to skewer the legal profession (and the acting profession, as well) in this tale of rising legal star Charles Tuttle (Jeff Daniels), a newly minted partner in a prestigious firm. Engaged to marry the boss' daughter (Alexandra Wentworth), he agrees to an impromptu bachelor party thrown by his actor friend Richard Rietti (Michael Richards). This results in him being badly incapacitated, and Richard actually fills in for him when a fraud case goes to trial; since the local court now believes that Richard is the attorney for the defence, he's obliged to continue with this ruse, leading to some amusing complications.
It's all about the appeal and comic abilities of this cast. Ultimately, the film is nothing special, with no real comedy fireworks, but it's still funny and engaging enough to make it pleasant throughout. It's too bad Richards, a.k.a. Cosmo Kramer, didn't get more feature film opportunities in this vein, as he's really able to strut his stuff. And he has fine chemistry with Daniels, who gets to alternate between being a "straight man", of sorts, and getting hilariously flustered as things go completely awry. Charlize Theron may be the MAIN reason to watch "Trial and Error", however, as she *is* utterly adorable as the cute & perky waitress to whom Charles becomes attracted.
They all receive very capable support from Rip Torn as the con man, Austin Pendleton (who was the stuttering temporary replacement for Vinny in "My Cousin Vinny") as the judge, a strikingly sexy Jessica Steen as the exasperated prosecutor, Lawrence Pressman as Charles' boss, Max Casella as a VERY young looking doctor, Dale Dye as a psychiatric expert, and Jennifer Coolidge as a priceless "dietary expert" of some kind.
This would make an agreeable double feature with another 1997 comedy about a lawyer, "Liar Liar", although "Trial and Error" never does get as cartoonish as that Jim Carrey vehicle.
Among the highlights: Charles having to sit in a car parked outside the courthouse (he ends up getting banned from the courtroom), beeping in Morse code the sort of dialogue that he needs Richard to deliver.
Seven out of 10.
It's all about the appeal and comic abilities of this cast. Ultimately, the film is nothing special, with no real comedy fireworks, but it's still funny and engaging enough to make it pleasant throughout. It's too bad Richards, a.k.a. Cosmo Kramer, didn't get more feature film opportunities in this vein, as he's really able to strut his stuff. And he has fine chemistry with Daniels, who gets to alternate between being a "straight man", of sorts, and getting hilariously flustered as things go completely awry. Charlize Theron may be the MAIN reason to watch "Trial and Error", however, as she *is* utterly adorable as the cute & perky waitress to whom Charles becomes attracted.
They all receive very capable support from Rip Torn as the con man, Austin Pendleton (who was the stuttering temporary replacement for Vinny in "My Cousin Vinny") as the judge, a strikingly sexy Jessica Steen as the exasperated prosecutor, Lawrence Pressman as Charles' boss, Max Casella as a VERY young looking doctor, Dale Dye as a psychiatric expert, and Jennifer Coolidge as a priceless "dietary expert" of some kind.
This would make an agreeable double feature with another 1997 comedy about a lawyer, "Liar Liar", although "Trial and Error" never does get as cartoonish as that Jim Carrey vehicle.
Among the highlights: Charles having to sit in a car parked outside the courthouse (he ends up getting banned from the courtroom), beeping in Morse code the sort of dialogue that he needs Richard to deliver.
Seven out of 10.
- Hey_Sweden
- Mar 9, 2019
- Permalink
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Details
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $13,602,831
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $4,903,529
- Jun 1, 1997
- Gross worldwide
- $14,598,571
- Runtime1 hour 38 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1
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