'Trial And Error'

'Buddy'

Rated PG-13

Buddy and Rene Russo monkey

around in Buddy.
with a gentle and satisfying con-
ene Russo finds herself
clusion.
monkeying around once
Writer/director Caroline
again in her latest film,
(Black Beauty), who
Thompson
he's
never
been
around
many
Buddy, the true story of an
has
scripted
such wonderful
eccentric 1920s socialite who people before.
family
fare
as Homeward
But
Gertrude
stubbornly
re-
raised chimpanzees and a goril-
Bound:
The
Incredible
Journey
la as though they were her own jects his request and carts every-
The Secret Garden, keeps
and
one
off
to
the
fair.
children.
While the chimps are per- the action moving at a quick
Russo, who also had a simian
forming
for their audience, Bud- pace and never lets the story be-
co-star in Outbreak, stars as the
Russo
wealthy Gertrude Lintz, who de- dy waits in his cage for his turn come too heavyhearted.
is thorough-
(Tin
Cup,
Ransom)
to
gd
onstage.
Maggie,
the
most
cides to add a baby gorilla to her
ever-growing menagerie of chim- mischievous of the apes, decides ly convincing as the kooky so-
panzees, dogs, cats, birds, hors- to let Buddy out early, unlock- cialite; and keep an eye open for
ing his cage door. Sensing his Paul Reubens, a.k.a. Pee Wee
es and fish.
Raising the chimps and infant freedom, the now till-grown go- Herman, who makes a cameo as
rilla takes off and starts a professor.
gorilla (Buddy) as though
Buddy is the first feature film
wandering among the
they were children,
MOVIES
from
Jim Henson Pictures and
throngs
of
people.
The
Gertrude dresses them
result is mass hysteria Buddy, the gorilla, is warm and
up in little outfits and
teaches them to eat at the din- and a frightened and bewildered cuddly, thanks to a little help
ner table. They even have their Buddy, who is finally found and from Henson's Creature Shop.
Although adults may find the
own rooms — complete with brought home.
It is now obvious that Buddy storyline a bit too predictable,
child-sized furniture.
Everyone in the household doesn't belong in this civilized this monkey business is sure to
delight the younger crowd.
takes a liking to Buddy, even the world.
Settled
back
into
the
daily
amused cook, who teaches Bud-
VV 1/2
dy to scrub the floor and help out routine, Gertrude insists that
in the kitchen. All is well for a everything will return to normal
— Beth Fhaner
while, but as Buddy grows in now that they're on familiar ter-
ritory,
but
one
knows
it's
only
size, it becomes apparent there
a matter of time before Buddy
may be problems.
When Gertrude decides to ex- erupts again. In fact, Gertrude
hibit her beloved apes at the herself is almost seriously hurt
Outstanding
World's Fair in Chicago, her when she startles Buddy in the
husband asks her to consider kitchen one afternoon.
Very Good
The movie now really tugs at
leaving Buddy at home, since
®
the heartstrings as Gertrude re-
Good
alizes she no longer has control
Ck)
Beth Fhaner is an editor 1 writer
over Buddy and that he isn't
Fair
at Visible Ink Press. She is the
happy living this kind of life.
editor of Magill's Cinema
As expected with any decent
Awful
NO BAGELS
Annual, a comprehensive film
family film, Buddy wraps up
reference book.

CI=
CD

TH E D E TR OI T J EW IS H N EWS

R

Bagel Barometer

elieve it or not, the most pro- slept through the morning and
cedurally correct law movie the scheduled court date.
Things get worse as he discov-
ever made is probably 1992's
ers
that Rietti has appeared in
My Cousin Vinny, which told
his
stead,
convincing the judge
the fish-out-of-water story of a
that
he
is
the
out-of-town attor-
bumbling, neophyte attorney
ney
hired
to
represent
a swag-
forced into trying his first case
gering
swindler
(Rip
Torn)
on a
within the hostile halls of a small-
bevy
of
fraud
charges.
town courthouse.
By the time Tuttle figures out
My Cousin Vinny's popularity
what
has happened, the judge
stemmed from its likable cast and
has
denied
the adjournment re-
humorous treatment of the
quest
and
has
set the matter for
American trial process. Director
trial
immediately.
My
Jonathan Lynn, who directed
Rietti is forced to carry on as
Cousin Vinny, apparently liked
lead
attorney while Tuttle at-
his own film so much that he de-
tempts
to salvage his career by
cided to tweak the story a bit, add
riding
shotgun,
scripting Rietti's
a few characters and repackage
trial
strategy
and
prompting him
it as Trial and Error.
with
objections.
Playing the straight man, Jeff
Naturally, Rietti wreaks hav-
Daniels is Charles Tuttle, a
oc
in the courtroom with his am-
young attorney who has just
ateurish
posturing, especially
made partner in his future fa-
after
eschewing
Daniel's outline
ther-in-law's powerful firm.
in
favor
of
goofball ad libs.
Overwhelmed with re-
Surely,
one of the ques-
sponsibility and the re-
MOVIES
tion
marks
going into the
alization that his fiancee
film is whether Richards
is a vapid princess, Tuttle
is quickly dispatched to a small can be funny and not be Kramer.
Nevada town to request an ad- Happily, the answer is yes, as
journment of trial so that he can Richards proves to be equally
return and proceed With the nup- adept at handling punch lines
and pratfalls, however familiar
tials.
Actor pal Richard Rietti ("Se- they may be.
Unfortunately, though some of
infeld's" Michael Richards), dis-
appointed that Daniels is going the material in the film is fresh,
to miss his own bachelor party, too much of Trial and Error bears
brings the bachelor party to an uncanny resemblance to its
Nevada and, with assistance cousin Vinny to be satisfying.
If imitation is the highest form
from an impossibly lovely wait-
of
praise, imitation of one's self
ress, played by Charlize Theron,
coaxes the reserved Tuttle into must be one of the lesser forms of
art.
participating in the revelry.
. When the regrettable morning
after arrives, Tuttle awakens
bruised and hung-over with the
terrible realization that he has
Richard Halprin

B

—

Richard Halprin is an
attorney I film critic.

Jeff Daniels and Michael Richards
in Trial and Error.

PHOTO BY RALPH NELSON/NEW LI NE CINEMA

PH OTO BY ZADE ROSENTHAL

Rated PG