Mi primo Vinny

Definitely one of my all-time favorite comedies. Well directed, well acted -- priceless comic performances by Pesci, Tomei, Gwynne & Austin Pendleton. And more than comedy -- there's also a lot of genuine pathos and real tension and drama, especially in the final courtroom scene. And I really don't understand the "controversy" or brouhaha over Marisa Tomei receiving the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role in this movie. It's a crackerjack gem of a performance and a stellar comic portrayal. The only thing I can figure is that a lot of snobbery about serious dramatic portrayals somehow being more worthy of honor than great comic performances still very much lives on in much of the film community.

My Cousin Vinny (1992)

**** (out of 4)

Terrific comedy has two youths being arrested in Alabama for a crime they didn't commit but thankfully one of them has a cousin Vinny (Joe Pesci) who just happens to be a lawyer. The thick New York accent at first doesn't sit well with the South but soon his skills come out. A lot of people seem to forget that this picture did lukewarm business at the box office and had several negative reviews when it was first release. I enjoyed the movie at the time of its release but I didn't think it was anything overly great but this is a great example of how a movie just gets better with age. Today MY COUSIN VINNY is rightfully considered one of the best comedies of its time and the performances here are just downright classic and make the film so special. Of course you've got Pesci and that terrific line delivery that adds so many laughs. Just the way he's able be to over-the-top in some of his line delivery is just flawless and the chemistry he has with the supporting cast is where much of the heart of the film comes from. Fred Gwynne plays the tough Southern judge and gets one of the greatest roles in his career and he does a remarkable job with it. The back and forth between Pesci and Gwynne is just so perfect that it never grows old no matter how many times you see the film. Oscar-winner Marisa Tomei is flawless in her role as the girlfriend and we get great support from Ralph Macchio, Lane Smith, Bruce McGill and Austin Pendleton. The film has so many classic sequences that the long 118-minute running time flies by without any dry or slow moments. There's no question that the film contains some of the biggest laughs of the decade and it's also fair to call this thing a classic.

Some people really do lack a sense of humor and take life way too seriously. These are the people that will complain that this movie is not funny. The rest of us will find at least some genuine funny moments. In my case, I found several. My Cousin Vinny is a movie that I will play to cheer me up because it's hard to feel down while watching it.

Joe Pesci who scared the hell out of us as Tommy Devito in Goodfellas takes on the role of wise cracking, inexperienced attorney Vincent Gambini. He is wonderfully matched with the nagging, street smart, and charming Maria Tomei as his girlfriend Mona. The two hard core New Yorkers wind up in rural Alabama to defend Vincent's cousin (Ralph Macchio) and friend on robbery and murder charges. There are plenty of funny moments created from the culture clash between the "yankees" and the southerners ranging from the fascination with grits to the colorful colloquialisms used by each. Some of the best moments involve the exchanges between no non-sense Judge Haller (Fred Gwynne) and Vincent who he can't understand due to his New York accent. However, this film does not rely on stereotypical southern slapstick comedy. It is actually smart and there's a real plot involving a court case that all but looks clear cut until Vincent and his girlfriend begin looking at the evidence. I love all the court room scenes and Pesci and Tomei have great chemistry.

This movie is truly underrated; although Tomei did earn an Academy Award for her role in this film. I highly recommend it to those of us with a funny bone!

I can watch this film over and over again. Joe Pesci plays Vincent LaGuardia Gambini, a Brooklyn lawyer who is asked to defend his cousin and friend from a murder charge in Alabama. Marisa Tomei as Mona Lisa Vito, Vinny's girlfriend, deserved the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, rare for a comedy to even be nominated for anything by AMPAS. I really liked Fred Gwynne as the no-nonsense Judge Chamberlain Haller, a great foil for Joe Pesci's laid back, easy going Brooklyn wise guy. Even his name, Chamberlain Haller, evokes seriousness. A lot of fun, especially the courtroom antics of Pesci. Highly recommended.

"My Cousin Vinny," along with the megahit "Goodfellas," put Pesci on the map. Of course, he's been in the Scorcese's previous hit "Raging Bull," but didn't get a hell of a lot of recognition at the time. Joe Pesci's character of Vincent LaGuardia Gambini is a landmark character in comedy history. When his New Yauker street smarts collide with Southern hospitality--brilliant fish-out-of-water humor ensues!

Of course, Pesci should've be given all the credit. Marisa Tomei, who RIGHTFULLY won the Supporting Oscar for her excellent performance (please don't believe that urban myth about Jack Palance calling out the wrong name!!), is hilarious as Pesci's fiance with a foul mouth, a smart a**, the heaviest Brooklyn accent and an incredible expertise in automobiles. This was also the movie that made Marisa a star, and a performance I commend to this day.

What can I say? This movie has some of the most priceless bits of comedy. One, of course, involves Pesci's pronunciation of the word "youth" which sounds like "yute." One underrated bit is the one where Pesci first meets his cousin's friend (Mitchell Whitfield) in the jail cell. His cousin (Ralph Macchio) is asleep and Pesci suddenly pays the friend a visit. He doesn't know Pesci is the lawyer, and assumes he's some guy who...wants to make him his b**ch. The comic dialogue in that scene is so perfectly executed and I feel it's one of the funniest in the movie. I'm not going to give away any more of the film's slick, intelligent humor--You have to see it for yourself!!!

If you're in the mood for a smart, well-written, well-acted comedy that will have you on the floor--look no further! "My Cousin Vinny" doesn't disappoint in any of those aspects. This is a truly memorable piece of comedy, and though it was released in 1992, I'm sure comedy lovers will pay homage to this movie in the present day.

My score: 8 (out of 10)