Mon cousin 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.

Bill Gambini (Ralph Macchio) and Stanley Rothenstein are friends from NYC on their way to UCLA driving through Alabama. Bill accidentally takes a can from a convenience store. When the cops stop them, they think it's for shoplifting. It turns out that they are getting charged with murder. They have no money so Bill's mom gets cousin Vinny Gambini (Joe Pesci). Vinny brings his car expert girlfriend Mona Lisa Vito (Marisa Tomei). It's Vinny's first murder case and his first trial. He only passed the bar six weeks ago after 6 times trying. He starts lying to Judge Chamberlain Haller (Fred Gwynne) for his approval.

Vinny is not simply a brash Italian New Yorker. He's filled with doubt and trying to bluff his way through it. He's not necessarily the most appealing character at the start but he grows on you. Marisa Tomei was the big discovery at the time. She's absolutely wonderful. She puts a fair comedy over the top.

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.

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.