Trial and Error (1997)

Up-and-coming L.A. corporate lawyer Charles Tuttle (Jeff Daniels) is going to marry his wealthy boss's beautiful daughter Elizabeth (Alexandra Wentworth), but first he must head to a remote Nevada town to help his employer's rapscallion relative out of a legal bind. It's all routine for Charlie until his bumbling best buddy Richard Rietti (Michael Richards), a cut-rate actor, decides to throw him a surprise bachelor party in the desert. Richard means well and throws one enormous bash. Unfortunately, Charlie gets totally plastered during the party and the next day is too hung-over to move, let alone go to court. Richard volunteers to go in Charlie's stead and ask for a continuance -- after all, he is an actor. What could go wrong? Unfortunately everything, for both the local District Attorney and the judge refuse to delay the trial. Both are anxious to put long-time con man Billy Gibbs (Rip Torn) away for good. Since they think Richard is Charlie, the actor and the lawyer have no choice but to maintain the status quo and hope that no one discovers their ruse. Charlie does his best to teach Richard the legal ropes, but it is an uphill battle all the way. Along the way, Charlie meets an earthy local girl, Billie Tyler (Charlize Theron) who forces him to reevaluate his life. Essentially a fish-out-of-water comedy, the film attempts to strike a few more serious underlying notes along the way. The film is the first in which television character actor Michael Richards, best known for his hilarious portrayal of 'Kramer' on the sitcom Seinfeld, receives top billing.