Mon cousin Vinny

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!

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.

Before there were official "Red" and "Blue" Americas, there was this film that pretty much represents it all. Bill Gambini and Stanley Rothenstein are two NYU students who get scholarships at UCLA and decide to drive across America to get there. Bad idea. In Alabama they are picked up and arrested for murder and robbery. They are innocent, but there are witnesses who ID their car and ID them. And it is the word of two New Yorkers against the locals.

Not having any money, Bill calls his cousin Vinny (Joe Pesci), who is a lawyer but hasn't practiced yet. And here the culture clash begins. Into this sleepy little Alabama town arrive Vinny and his girlfriend, dressed in leather with rather flashy but faux jewelry. The judge (Fred Gwynne) in the case demands that since this is a capital case that Vinny have trial experience. He does not, but knowing he is his cousin's best shot, he lies and just hopes the judge can't find that out until the trial is over.

Well the Southerners don't get these New Yorkers ("Two Yutes? What's a Yute?"), and vice versa. Vinny and his girl are awakened by factory whistles at 5AM and don't understand why every meal has to include grits, to name a couple of the problems. And the judge is a stickler for decorum. The prosecutor invites Vinny to go deer hunting to discuss the case. As a longtime urban resident who thinks that meat comes from grocery stores not live animals, Marisa Tomei as Vinny's girlfriend is hilarious in her reaction.

This is just a very good comedy with lots of light moments, and yet you wonder, how is Vinny going to debunk these people, who have nothing against the defendants, claiming they are the perps. Watch and find out. This is a rare lead role for Joe Pesci, and he is marvelous. Putting Gwynne and Pesci together was unexpected comic genius, and you'd never guess that Gwynne, with that Southern accent he is sporting, was somewhat raised in New York City. Marisa Tomei absolutely earned her Oscar as Vinny's mechanic whiz girlfriend. And the best thing is that neither the Southerners nor the New Yorkers come off as cartoonish. This film was made when both sides got along pretty well. I'd highly recommend it.

Two young men named "Bill Gambini" (Ralph Macchio) and "Stan Rothenstein" (Mitchell Whitfield) are driving on vacation from Brooklyn and happen to stop in Beecham County, Alabama for some groceries. Bill accidentally pockets a can of tuna into his jacket and forgets to pay the clerk at the counter. As he and Stan are driving down the road, Bill realizes his mistake and tells Stan. Although both of them are somewhat concerned, they continue driving down the road. They are then stopped by the police and taken to the local police station. Figuring that honesty is the best policy, Bill makes a blanket confession. What he doesn't realize is that he has inadvertently pleaded guilty to the murder of the store clerk. When he realizes his mistake he panics and turns to a lawyer in the family--his cousin "Vinny Gambini" (Joe Pesci) who is only too happy to drive down from Brooklyn with his fiancé "Mona Lisa Vito" (Marisa Tomei) to contest his very first trial. Ever. Anyway, rather than disclose the entire story, I will just say that this is a film that is one of the best comedies of the modern era. I really enjoyed the performances of Joe Pesci and Fred Gwynne ("Judge Chamberlain Haller") as both of them were hilarious. In addition to that, Marisa Tomei also put on quite a show and ended up winning an Academy Award for her performance. Now, having said all of that, I must warn viewers that some of the language may not be suitable for younger audiences. Be that as it may, if you are looking for a really good comedy--or if you're simply pondering the importance of physics--then you might want to check this film out.

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.