Trial and Error (1997)

An actor poses as a lawyer to help his sick friend, and problems develop.

Director:

Jonathan Lynn

Writers:

Sara Bernstein (story), Gregory Bernstein (story),

Stars:

Michael Richards, Jeff Daniels, Charlize Theron

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Michael Richards	...	Richard Rietti
Jeff Daniels	...	Charles Tuttle
Charlize Theron	...	Billie Tyler
Jessica Steen	...	Elizabeth
Austin Pendleton	...	Judge Paul Z. Graff
Rip Torn	...	Benny Gibbs
Alexandra Wentworth	...	Tiffany
Jennifer Coolidge	...	Jacqueline
Lawrence Pressman	...	Whitfield
Dale Dye	...	Dr. Stone
Max Casella	...	Dr. Brown
McNally Sagal	...	Charles' Assistant
Kenneth White	...	Hank Crabbit
Keith Mills	...	Buck Norman
Zaid Farid	...	Bailiff

Storyline

Lawyer Charlie Tuttle is defending his wife's relative Benny Gibbs in a class action fraud suit, but when he gets to the city where court takes place, he gets drunk and the following day, when the hearings begin, his friend, actor Richard Rjetti takes his place posing as Charlie. The bad thing is that Richard doesn't know anything about being a lawyer, and Charlie has to teach him as the court goes on.

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Plot Keywords:

court | gambling | deception | con man | law | 

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Taglines:

What's a courtroom circus without a couple of clowns?

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some sexual content

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

30 May 1997 (USA)

Also Known As:

Advogado por Engano

Filming Locations:

California, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$4,903,529 (USA) (30 May 1997)

Gross:

$13,548,764 (USA) (25 July 1997)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Larger Than Life Productions, New Line Cinema

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Jennifer Tilly was originally cast as Billie Tyler.

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Quotes

Richard Rietti: [to Richard] You know, you really missed your calling. You should have really been an actor.

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Crazy Credits

Sound technician Brian McPherson is credited as "hothead technician."

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Soundtracks

"Over Nevada"
Written by Tim Spencer
Performed by Trudy Fair
Courtesy of Cow Baby Music and Heavy Harmony Music

User Reviews

Great Courtroom Comedy

This is an interesting and hilariously funny movie! A lawyer about to get married is incapacitated after a bachelor party just prior to a court appearance on a routine case where he represents the defendant. His buddy, an unemployed actor, takes his place at the trial for what is supposed to be a 5 minute appearance. The attractive female prosecutor wants to move on with the case, and the substitute lawyer is committed to participate in the trial. The recovering real lawyer meets a cute waitress and enjoys her company on his day off, only later to find that his friend's errors in court force a continued role as his doppelganger. The courtroom scenes are are absolutely hilarious, as are the off-courtroom romantic entanglements of both friends. Don't miss this movie! It's the kind you will enjoy seeing over and over again.