The Trial (2010)

So much average

Just perfect...

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

The movie really just wants to entertain people.

This film must be counted among the worst courtroom dramas ever filmed. Typically, the eyewitness testimony and the lawyers' summations are riveting. In this case, the viewer desperately wants the court scenes to end to get back to the main crime investigation.Matthew Modine is the down-on-his-luck attorney, who was closed to suicide after the tragic death of his wife and children in an auto accident. The legal case serves as his "comeback" from depression, as he seeks an innocent verdict for a fine, young man who has been falsely accused of killing his girlfriend.As the trial winds down, the viewer begins to recognize that the subtext of the film is retailing a Christian message that has to do with the theme of "life." The trial drags on with the closing arguments, then deliberations of the jury for a sentencing. The film's big "payoff" scene comes after the trial has concluded and we finally learn who is the real villain. SPOILER ALERT FOLLOWS: In a nearly comic scene in the defense attorney's office, the villain turns out to be a psychiatrist, who has a fondness for drugging his victims, prior to killing them. By this point, the film has lapsed into comedy.The best thing to say about the trial is that it appears on Amazon Prime for FREE!

"The Trial" felt more like a movie-of-the-week than a theater release. Although the acting was relatively strong, it was as good as could be expected due to the incredibly weak script and plot. A very predictable story-line: the main character is framed for a murder he didn't commit, only to be defended by a lawyer with depressive issues. After sitting through almost two hours of it, hoping for the movie to get better, it just didn't ~ and finally!!! the ending. The only word one can use to describe the conclusion is 'lame' ~ the far-fetched villain who actually committed the crime, and the why/how he did it. Almost laughable, especially the attempted frame-up. I'm not giving anything away - if you decide to slog through this movie, you'll see what I mean.Initially watching this movie because the great Matthew Modine was in it, I had much higher expectations of what the film would offer. At this point the my assumption is he only did it for the paycheck. Gave 4/10*, and that's being VERY generous.

The Trial is a 2010 drama film starring Matthew Modine together with Randy Wayne,Bob Gunton and Robert Forster. It is based on the novel of the same title by Robert Whitlow.The screenplay was written by Mark Freiburger,Gary Wheeler and Robert Whitlow.Also,it was produced and directed by Gary Wheeler.Aging, small town attorney Mac McClain is defending a young man accused of murdering the daughter of an influential local.After his two sons and wife die in a horrific car crash, suicide seems to be the only escape for small town attorney for McClain until he's assigned a capital punishment case involving the murder of the daughter of a powerful business man, in which the victim was drugged. All the odds seem stacked against McClain, and he loses the case. However, McClain manages to save the accused man's life by getting him off death row. At the end of the movie, a private investigator discovers that it was someone else who committed the murder and McClain's client is exonerated.This is a formulaic and predictable movie from beginning to end.But nevertheless,the movie works due to the fact that is combines the best features of courtroom drama, murder mystery and character story.Also,it is a powerful which shows the power of healing and hope.That in itself makes it a 10/10 rating.

Yet another courtroom drama. The problem with these kind of films is "how do you wrap it up", and The Trial doesn't escape from the same lame ending as many more films before it.interesting up to a point, the first half of the film qualifies as a "very good, for-TV show", but thats about it. the current 5.8 IMDb vote pretty much sums it up, add the fact that the film itself is not really interesting, and you know you can do better with 90 minutes of your time.A retiring lawyer whose son just died takes on the defense of a very unlikely young ex-marine, who is obviously being framed for the murder of his fiancée. The only two actors worth mentioning, the two lawyers, go trough the case until the verdict; Then, a rapid - and very unwelcome - change of pace leads to the fast and amateurish end of the film.The Trial is the very essence of a film that can be missed - it has no redeeming qualities, and although not horrible per se, there is absolutely nothing to keep you interested. Not the kind of rubbish that makes you change the channel, but certainly not something you might want to rent or buy.4/10decent but uninvolved acting, recycled script with no conclusion, boring music, and so-so production. Avoid.