Trial and Error (1997)

You can just hear the pitch meeting for this misbegotten farce: ''It’s a cross between My Cousin Vinny and Dumb and Dumber, with Seinfeld's Kramer!'' The fact that Trial and Error — in which a lawyer and his actor buddy are forced to switch identities — bombed in theaters demonstrates how unappealing such a shortsighted mishmash can be. But on video, where you can fast-forward through the lame slapstick, it’s easier to appreciate: A surprisingly sweet romantic subplot between Jeff Daniels and Charlize Theron (The Devil’s Advocate) displays his puppy-dog charm to full advantage. Error though this film may be, it's less of a trial than you might think. B-