My Cousin Vinny Movie Review

My Cousin Vinny (1992)

Rent My Cousin Vinny on Amazon Video (paid link)
Written by: Dale Launer
Directed by: Jonathan Lynn
Starring: Joe Pesci, Marisa Tomei, Ralph Macchio, Bruce McGill, Mitchell Whitfield
Rated: R
Watch the trailer

Plot
Two New Yorkers accused of murder in rural Alabama while on their way back to college call in the help of one of their cousins, a loudmouth lawyer with no trial experience.

Verdict
This is such a fun movie that runs counter to the usual courtroom drama. It's a comedy though the story centers on a serious case undertaken by a very new and out of place lawyer. Vinny bickers with most people he encounters, but manages to make friends in the town and prove himself a fine litigator.
Watch It.

Review
Bill and Stan (Ralph Macchio, Mitchell Whitfield) have no idea what they've stumbled into when a cop pulls them over. They think it's for inadvertently stealing a can of tuna fish, but this is a murder case. With no money, they get the family lawyer Vinny (Joe Pesci). He's the stereotypical New Yorker who is completely out of place in Alabama. He's also brand new, and it took him a few tries to pass the bar.

Mitchell Whitfield, Ralph Macchio play Stan, Bill

At every step Vinny seems completely unprepared and outmatched. He doesn't know the intricacies of the law, and he faces a judge that doesn't care for Vinny's crass demeanor. A neat side story is Vinny and a guy at a bar who owes him money. Vinny is outmatched but smart enough to talk his way out of the fight. It's a hopeful sign that he might be able to talk his clients out of a guilty verdict.

Joe Pesci, Marisa Tomei play Vinny, Mona

Vinny is a details guy, and once the case is underway he does a great job of picking apart the first witness. Pesci does a great job of chewing the scenery, only rivaled by Tomei. Mona (Marisa Tomei) accompanies Vinny on this trip. They frequently don't get along, but we're shown early that Mona knows cars. It's her extensive knowledge that proves useful during the trial. She overcomes misogyny from the prosecutor to not only proves she is an expert, but also saves Vinny's case.

Vinny waltzes into Alabama and everyone discounts this brash guy form New York. Even his clients doubt him. What a turn when Vinny manages to make a compelling case, aided by his girlfriend.