The Trial (2010) PG13 - 3 Stars

While Modine is good at playing a pretentious defense attorney, he can't hold up this extremely predictable drama. The acting out ways the direction and the opening is much stronger than the ending. A decent courtroom drama but, for me it has too much of a "goodie-two-shoes" feel giving it the look of a Sunday Sermon rather than a tense courtroom drama. Not a horrible movie, I just wish it had more excitement and character depth.

Kent Mac McClain (Matthew Modine), is an attorney in a small Georgian town with a meaningless life. It was all taken away from him when a car crash killed his wife and two sons. With nothing else to give, he's about to walk away from this life when Judge Danielson (Rance Howard), forces him to take on one last case. Pete Thomason (Randy Wayne), has been incarcerated for the murder of his girlfriend Angela (voice of Kera O'Bryon). Pete has no memory of that fateful evening and can offer little help. Wealthy Alex Hightower (David Dwyer), Angel's father, wants the death penalty and State Prosecutor Joe Whetstone (Bob Gunton), plans to get it. Psychologist Dr. Anna Wilkes (Clare Carey), offers Mac a new way to look at himself as this is about to become the trial of his life.  Along with help from his old team,  investigator Ray Morrison (Robert Forster), and Mindy (Nikki DeLoach), a paralegal who puts breathe back into the old team, Mac will reach deep within his soul to try and save two lives.
Award:

2010 - Grand Rapids Film Festival - Best Feature

Whitlow Films, Level Path Productions
Director: Gary Wheeler
Writers: Matthew Modine, Robert Whitlow, Gary Wheeler
Producers: Matthew Modine, Gary Wheeler, Mark Freiberger

I viewed 12/10