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Released by: 20th Century Fox
Released on: 11/02/10
Director: Gary Wheeler
Cast: Matthew Modine, Robert Forster, Bob Gunton, Clare Carey
Year: 2010
The Movie:
Matthew Modine is Mac, a defense attorney whose lost his family to a car crash with him at the wheel, and is on the verge of suicide. Alas, just as he's about to blow his brains out the phone rings so he answers it. And who wouldn't? It might be important. It's a judge who needs Mac to come out of his early retirement and take one last case. It's a high profile murder case that can't go to just anyone. He agrees to take the case and assembles his team, which includes his brother-in-law Ray (Robert Forster) as an investigator for the defense.
It appears evident that a young kid drugged his wealthy girlfriend and then murdered her while he was also on drugs. A cut and dry case that the prosecutor (Bob Gunton) is confident he will win. Mac enrolls the help of a Psychiatrist (Clare Carey) to examine the defendant to see if he is fit for trial or just a loony bird, since the kid doesn't remember any of that night. Well, as cliché cinema would have it, she is also a widow with a young boy (just like Mac had) and the two of them have a little something between them (which thankfully doesn't develop to much more than social visits).
The doctor for the prosecution on the other hand, deems the kid a sociopath and they go for the death penalty. The evidence is overwhelmingly against the defendant, but Ray the investigator and Mac the lawyer suspect there is more to this case than meets the eye, and they intend to work every lead to get to the truth. Who killed the rich girl? Why? Will Mac get his mojo back?
As one might surmise, this is courtroom drama and not a very exciting or interesting one either. Aside from being a courtroom drama it's also a loss of faith movie. Mac has given up on life, on God, and on people. So, as one can also surmise, there's melodrama a-plenty. Oh no, Mac is depressed and full of guilt and self-loathing. Oh no, Mac is going to lose the case. Oh no, an innocent is going to go to jail. Oh no, the bad guy will get away with murder. Oh no, Mac might be murdered. Bah! It's a by-the-numbers drama with no surprises, including the “surprise†at the end that is far from a surprise. It can be seen a mile away and has been seen before in better movies. But hey, everything is cleaned up and okee dokee in the end. Awesome. The one positive here are in the performances, particularly Forster and Gunton, but their talents are wasted on a movie that should have been a USA channel original movie. Forster is easily the most interesting character and he's just not in this enough. All in all, just a lackluster movie.
Video/Audio/Extras
The Trial is displayed here in 1.85:1 Widescreen, which looks fine. Nothing by way of imperfections to note (artifacts, skipping, etc), and things look like they should. Colors look correct, skin tones are right on, blacks are pretty deep, and things seem to be in order. Like the movie, it's nothing to get excited over.
The audio is a 5.1 Dolby Digital track (with French, Spanish, and English subtitles) and is on par with the video display. Nothing to mention concerning issues. The balance between the talking and the sappy score is a good balance. There is not much going on other than talky-talk throughout, and with the exception of the music and a couple of incidents, most of the sound seems to come from the front.
The only extra on here is an audio commentary by the director, the author of the book that this movie was based on (he also work on the script) and one of the three screenwriters who doubled as a producer. They have lots to talk about with not a whole lot of dead spots, but unless you're into the movie it's kind of a bore. They do talk about lower budget movie making and how they cut costs and where the book differs from the film, so again, if the movie did it for you, the commentary might do it for you as well.
The Final Word:
Nothing to get excited over, The Trial follows a tried and true formula without adding anything new to the mix. Cliché-ridden and predictable as a turd from start to finish, there's just nothing to get from it. The extra doesn't help it any. Just wait for it to be on basic cable and fall asleep to it.
