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TRIAL AND ERROR is a clumsy reworking of MY COUSIN VINNY, with di- rector Jonathan Lynn staging another small-town trial with another exasperated judge presiding over yet another courtroomful of color- ful personalities. In this case, its Michael Richards out-of-work actor impersonating his best-friend lawyer (Jeff Daniels), after a bachelor party for the latter leaves him incapacitated. Despite the Kramer-ish antics of Mr. Richards, some fresh flustering by Austin Pendleton (as the judge), and one howler of a testimony from Rip Torn (as the defendant), the courtroom shenanigans end up only intermittenly funny. Far more interesting is the romance that develops between Daniels' character and a waitress (played by a glowing Charleze Theron) and a late line of thought that asks each character to examine how the issue of truth affects them. (Rated "PG-13"/106 min.) Grade: C+ Copyright 1997 Michael J. Legeros Movie Hell is a trademark of Michael J. Legeros
Originally posted to triangle.movies in MOVIE HELL: May 31, 1997