This film is bad because the entire plot revolves around service of process, and it makes no sense. Granted, I went to law school and got A's in my civil procedure courses. But even a layperson can see the flaws in this.
In most jurisdictions, you can complete service of process in a number of ways. You can hand the legal documents to the person. You can send them registered mail. You can post an ad in the paper. You can post notice on the courthouse door. You can leave the documents with any adult who resides at the house of the target. You can leave documents in a conspicuous location on the property of the target. You can serve a registered agent, which in many cases is the Secretary of State or similar office holder of your jurisdiction. You can even walk up to the person, say "I have legal documents for you," and drop them at his feet. Even if you don't hand-deliver them, you have served process.
There is a reason for this.
If, as this film portrays, you can't serve anyone unless they take the papers from you, it would be impossible to ever sue anyone because most people would never take anything from a stranger. That would make it to easy for people to avoid ever suffering any consequences for their actions. Husbands could avoid ever getting divorced, and therefore ever paying alimony.
So remember folks: if, in your real life, you are ever a defendant in a lawsuit, you can lose by default if someone leaves papers at your feet and you never show up in court! Knowing all this, the plot of the film is eviscerated. What is left, that is, bad acting, bad sight gags, bad everything, isn't enough to hold the film together in any meaningful way.
Avoid this movie.
In most jurisdictions, you can complete service of process in a number of ways. You can hand the legal documents to the person. You can send them registered mail. You can post an ad in the paper. You can post notice on the courthouse door. You can leave the documents with any adult who resides at the house of the target. You can leave documents in a conspicuous location on the property of the target. You can serve a registered agent, which in many cases is the Secretary of State or similar office holder of your jurisdiction. You can even walk up to the person, say "I have legal documents for you," and drop them at his feet. Even if you don't hand-deliver them, you have served process.
There is a reason for this.
If, as this film portrays, you can't serve anyone unless they take the papers from you, it would be impossible to ever sue anyone because most people would never take anything from a stranger. That would make it to easy for people to avoid ever suffering any consequences for their actions. Husbands could avoid ever getting divorced, and therefore ever paying alimony.
So remember folks: if, in your real life, you are ever a defendant in a lawsuit, you can lose by default if someone leaves papers at your feet and you never show up in court! Knowing all this, the plot of the film is eviscerated. What is left, that is, bad acting, bad sight gags, bad everything, isn't enough to hold the film together in any meaningful way.
Avoid this movie.