Trial and Error | 
| Director: Jonathan Lynn
Actors: Michael Richards, Jeff Daniels, Charlize Theron, Jessica Steen, Austin Pendleton
Studio: New Line Home Video
Category: DVD
List Price: $9.98
Buy Used: $0.30
You Save: $9.68 (97%)
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Rating:  15 reviews
Sales Rank: 41937
Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dvd, Full Screen, Widescreen, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Subtitled)
Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
DVD Layers: 1
DVD Sides: 2
Picture Format: Array
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 99 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 7.4 x 5.6 x 0.6
MPN: DN4857D
ISBN: 0780620887
UPC: 794043485725
EAN: 9780780620889
ASIN: 0780620887
Theatrical Release Date: May 30, 1997
Release Date: November 23, 1999
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
Jonathan Lynn, who directed the hit film My Cousin Vinny, again takes on another lightweight comedy about a trial in a small town featuring a fish-out-of-water defense attorney. Michael Richards (Seinfeld) plays a struggling actor whose best friend, a trial lawyer (Jeff Daniels), is too hung-over to defend a sleaze-ball client before a no-nonsense judge. Richards's goofy character steps in, pretending to be the attorney and accepting the part as just another acting challenge. Lynn brings nothing distinctive to all this fluff, and unfortunately, the script and cast don't click in the same magical way that Vinny did. Richards still looks at the end like a comic waiting for his big-screen break. --Tom Keogh
Product Description
An actor poses as a lawyer to help his sick friend and problems develop. The 2nd most outrageous trial of the century Studio: New Line Home Video Release Date: 02/03/2004 Starring: Charlize Theron Jeff Daniels Run time: 99 minutes Rating: Pg13 Director: Jonathan Lynn
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| Customer Reviews: Read 10 more reviews...
 Pumpkin Boy January 28, 2009
Annie Van Auken (Planet Earth)
The clever TRIAL AND ERROR (1997) stars Jeff Daniels as an attorney who's recently made partner at his prestigious L.A. law firm. Set to marry the boss's daughter in just a few days, Daniels is sent to a tiny Nevada town to request a continuance in a fraud case. His firm's client (Rip Torn) is charged with selling to 65 people "engraved portraits of President Lincoln" which are nothing more than shiny new pennies!
Daniels arrives in town to find his best friend (Michael Richards) has organized a surprise bachelor party for him. After drinking too much, Daniels says the wrong thing ("I'm an attorney") to a couple of guys and he gets knocked cold. He's given painkillers and is supposed to take one every three hours but mistakenly takes three every hour.
By morning, Daniels is too bombed to appear in court. When he passes out and can't be revived, Richards, an out of work actor, does what he thinks is a "walk-on." He pretends to be the lawyer and asks for a continuance but the prosecutor (Jessica Steen) demands that the trial go forward. So now Richards is trapped and must continue the charade of being Torn's attorney.
This is a very humorous movie, with great rapport between Daniels and Richards, Richards and Steen and Daniels and Charlize Theron, who plays a waitress that Jeff falls in love with.
Best of all however is Austin Pendleton, the judge. He steals every scene he's in and gets the film's biggest laugh. After sitting in frustration through a farce of a trial ineptly conducted by the bumbling Richards, and having to listen to the perjuring Torn's bizarre life story which includes a pumpkin costume, a fire on Lake Michigan and an orphanage, once closing arguments have been presented the dyspeptic Pendleton clearly brightens and with a toothy grin announces to no one in particular: "Well, this trial is almost over!" In print it doesn't seem at all funny, but you have to see this moment in context with the entire courtroom fiasco.
If you've yet to see TRIAL AND ERROR, you're in for a real treat when you do! As of 2/09, it's available on either DVD or VHS for a single engraved portrait of President Lincoln!
Also from director Jonathan Lynn:
MY COUSIN VINNY (1992). (VHS edition) (DVD edition)
Parenthetical number preceding title is a 1 to 10 viewer poll rating found at a film resource website.
(5.4) Trial and Error (1997) - Jeff Daniels/Michael Richards/Charlize Theron/Jessica Steen/Austin Pendleton/Alexandra Wentworth/Jennifer Coolidge/Lawrence Pressman/Gerry Spence
 "TRIAL AND ERROR" MOVIE REVIEW March 18, 2008
Michael Elliano (College Park, MD)
Just a plain fun movie. Not too funny or serious but laughable. Sit back and enjoy.
GOOFY FUN February 14, 2006
Michael Butts (Martinsburg, WV USA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
In spite of its ridiculous premise and a shallow script, TRIAL AND ERROR manages a few laughs. Jeff Daniels plays a high profile lawyer who is about to marry the boss's daughter when he is sent to Nevada to defend a man accused of ripping off mail order customers. Michael Richards plays his best friend and best man who journeys to Nevada to throw Daniels his required bachelor's party. When Daniels gets in a bar fight and overdoses on his pain medicine, Richards is forced to pretend he is the lawyer, and ask for a continuance. But Richards' formidable opponent (lovely Jessica Steen) opposes the continuance and the feisty judge (Austin Pendleton) agrees and the case goes to trial----and guess who has to defend the guilty client (a superb Rip Torn)?
Of course, there's a love story too in the form of Charlize Theron (pre Monster days) playing a lovely hotel waitress who falls for Daniels. The love story is kind of trite but the courtroom antics are sometimes hilarious with Torn giving a superlative sob story to sway the jury.
Light and airy, TRIAL AND ERROR is mindless entertainment.
An amusing movie October 3, 2005
J. Mantle (Nashville, Tn)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Looking for an escape? Trail and Error is a lighthearted fun movie. The whole cast does a creditable job and Charlize Theron (in one of her earlier movies) is delightful
What a movie without a socialogical or some deep seated message. This is one. No message, just fun
 touching, romantic, and hilarious all in one movie March 25, 2005
DSG (Franklin, Wisconsin)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I remember seeing the trailer for this and laughing so hard. it's an amazing story. I so will laugh harder and harder every time I see this. Rip Torn (also from Men In Black) is hilarious in his role, Jeff Daniels is touching: sentimental, absurd when drunk, hilarious, and many other things. Michael Richards ( aka Kramer on Seinfeld) is a knockout in this romantic comedy. I love the scenes in the courtroom where the clients object , the judge sustains the objection or overrules it and so on. and then towards the end Jeff Daniels in his role gets his life on better track. where as at the beginning. he gets wasted, beat up, and his partner friend has to pretend he's the lawyer, who does a half ass job at it. Making this movie very funny. See this movie. it will touch you and make your sides ache too. if you like Jeff Daniels then see Arachniphobia, Dumb and Dumber, and some other movies he is in. if you like Michael Richards then get the Seinfeld Series and any other movies and or shows he is in. if you like Rip Torn. then see or get Men in Black, Freddy Got Fingered, and other movies
see this movie
it really is affectionate and interesting
this will still be a classic romantic comedy just like Grease is and always will be
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