Surprisingly incoherent and boring

Awesome Movie

The first must-see film of the year.

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

This movie never got the fair chance it deserved back in the day because it came out at the same time as Liar Liar, a similar vehicle with Jim Carrey at the helm. This one pairs Carrey's "Dumb & Dumber" buddy Jeff Daniels with "Seinfeld"'s Michael Richards, and I must say - they are a fantastic comic duo! From beginning to end, this movie will make you laugh! And the addition of Charlize Theron doesn't hurt, either. Trial and Error earned a very low box office income, and despite this, film critics Roger Ebert and Leonard Maltin gave positive reviews to the film both rewarding it 3 stars out of a possible four. Watch this on Netflix, or rent it. If you enjoyed Liar Liar and My Cousin Vinny, you will LOVE this! It's a superb movie with so many comedic points!

Put Jeff Daniels, Michael Richards, Rip Torn and Austin Pendleton in a courtroom together and you have a riotous comedy. I've watched this film several times (on TV--not in the theater) and it always entertains. In a backwoods Nevada town, Jeff Daniels and friend Michael Richards come to celebrate his upcoming marriage. After too much liquor, the roles are reversed as Jeff Daniels can't continue as lawyer for defendant Rip Torn, so out-of-work actor Michael Richards steps in as Torn's lawyer The repartee in the courtroom is classic, with a frustrated Austin Pendleton as judge trying to keep order in the court, and the shyster Rip Torn clueless as to what's going on, adds up to one funny film. And Charlize Theron as the love interest isn't hard to take either. This is a laugh-out-loud film with some great slapstick and wild antics. I loved it.

Richard Rietti!!! Best character name in movie history. Worth the price of admission just to watch Rietti fall and bumble...and fall...and bumble. Let us also not forget another vintage performance by the one and only Rip Torn. I would pay money to watch a Ron Popeil Infomercial if Rip Torn was prominently involved.Jeff Daniels gets it done as the schlub lawyer who likes his chicken salad with mustard, not mayonnaise. Finally, we have Charlize Theron at her absolute apex (lookswise, not as an actress...clearly). You just knew it would lead to bigger & better things for her, and it did.Worth checking out. RIETTI!!!!!

I got this as a free VHS rental from my local library. With a critical "thumbs up" rating I expected it to be better and funnier than it actually is. First off, even though Michael Richards is a fine actor, he relies too heavily on playing the same character he made famous in the Seinfeld TV series. You know, stumbling on the simplest things, almost mutilating a book while trying to nervously replace it in the bookshelf. I absolutely cannot stand those antics of his and every scene of his up to near the end was difficult for me to enjoy. Second, the premise of an actor pretending to be a lawyer, and the attendant legal issues was a bit far fetched for a movie that actually purports to be more serious in the way it ends. Theron and Daniels are perfect in their roles, but the story and Richards' acting dragged it down for me to a "5" rating. Absurd story but not funny enough.some SPOILERS for my recollection, please read no further.Daniels, lawyer, engaged to boss's spoiled daughter, goes to small Nevada town, continuance sought, drunk night before, actor friend goes to court, continuance denied, trouble begins, legal hot water, motorcycle-riding pretty prosecutor, absurd trial, Daniels fell through ceiling, banned from courtroom, fiancee shows up after Daniels and Theron began courting, he realizes he prefers the quiet life, breaks off wedding plans, stays with Theron, Richards and prosecutor fall in love.