The Trials of Cate McCall (2014)

hyped garbage

Bad Acting and worse Bad Screenplay

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

Hard hitting story with bitter ironies. Outstanding performance by Kate Beckinsale who for whatever reason doesn't show up very often except to play a Vampire. Is it because she is mysteriously underrated? There were a few sleepy predictable moments in the "personal life" trials aspect (child custody, alcoholism) but Ms. Beckinsale and her supporting cast all delivered excellent performances. As to the rest, her solutions to the corrupt elements in the film were easily as interesting, if not more so, than the usual John Grisham fare. I found myself wanting to see more of this character. It wonder if it could make a go as a television series amidst Game of Thrones and superhero shows.

Cate (Kate Beckinsale) is a lawyer on probation. She is also an alcoholic, and is fighting for custody of her daughter. Cate is assigned to defend Lacey Stubbs (Anna Anissimova) who has been accused of murder and was also raped by a prison guard. Wouldn't it be nice to see a good drama where the hero or heroine isn't a recovering alcoholic, a druggy, in a custody fight, is argumentative and also somewhat of a loose canon? Well, dream on this is what sells today. Hey, I bought it (okay rented it). Hollywood likes heroes with warts because they believe everyone has warts. Oh, all that doesn't apply to Cate, but some of it does. Anyway, this is a good drama about a driven lawyer who has personal problems that she needs to overcome. Keep in mind the title above as the word TRIALS is pertinent. It's plural. In the beginning she says she doesn't concern herself if her client is guilty or innocent, and later has a change of heart, but can she overcome the politics, lies, the good old boys and the system?Oh, the language: As I got into this I couldn't help think that Ms Beckinsale took the role so she could spew F-bombs all over the place. She seemed to relish in this. I may be wrong, but there were too many F-bombs by her. Too many. Ms Beckinsale does a very credible job without going overboard into melancholy or self-pity. OK, maybe a little bit. She carries this movie perfectly. Still, this is a good drama with a very good supporting cast with special shout-outs going to James Cromwell, and Nick Nolte who are always good. Although this is a very good drama James Cromwell makes it even better. Am beginning to think of him as the best actor in Hollywood and this is with apologies to Clint Eastwood who says Morgan Freeman is the best actor on the planet. Hey, there's room for both. Now, I need to go see what I can do about my warts. HA ! (7/10)Violence: Yes. Sex: No. Nudity: No. Language: Yes, too much of it.

Most things that occur in life have happened before so you could say that anything depicted in film is a cliché. Love, murder, war, courtroom drama. . . What scenes, played out on the screen, haven't you been exposed to before? The interesting thing about legal dramas are the characters involved--who they are, what they think, and of course, what they do. And then there is always the question of justice itself. Was justice actually done? Usually the answer is "no," and it is especially "no" here, just like it too often is "no" in real life.One of the basic themes in this one is that the guilty are found innocent and the innocent are found guilty. The gullible participants are manipulated into mistaken conclusions, much as we are in real life. Of course, RL is a bit more shady than the simplifications required by the medium of film. It doesn't matter much though, because Kate Beckingsale would be interesting even if she were reading the dictionary.I admit to being a longtime Kate Beckingsale fanboy but there's no point in offering any resistance to her charms considering she's also a terrific actor and carries the lead role admirably. I don't know the judge's real name but he's perfect too and has played that authoritarian part in many films/TV shows requiring the wise old and lecherous legal beagle. Nick Nolte gets to play a good guy, something of a mentor to former alcoholic Cate. You've heard that one before but there are some really funny exchanges between them, particularly the one where she jokes she'll let Nolte "do" her if helps with the legal case. I'd be glad to help, too. Unfortunately, she's joking.Whomever conceived this film did the right thing in showcasing Beckinsale. Her character is mercurial and she alternates among a series of different poses. There's the svelte, buttoned up lawyer, the disintegrating recovering alcoholic, a Pollyanna, and prosecutor, the tough broad, and the weepy mom end of a failed marriage. For all of that, the plot twists and back stories are rather too plentiful. That seems to be a tendency in films today. Nonetheless, I 'd watch the film again, and I think I will.

To the guy above.. you haven't watched all of Kate's movies.. even in the bad ones her characters always shine as she brings them to a life of their own.You are one of those people who tend to frown on everything to somehow make whatever you say seem meaningful.Kate is pure bliss, graceful, gracious and of course beautiful.If you don't believe me, watch some of the director commentaries of her movies and listen to her peers. Have you even seen Laurel Canyon? Emma? Tiptoes? Nothing But the Truth?most likely no but thank me for sending you on a warm and rewarding trip.. even in Fragments, which is easily one of the worst attempts of a movie in our lifetime she brings her character to life in many scenes.