My Cousin Vinny (A or 4/4 stars)
2 friends from NY, Bill Gambini & Stanley Rothenstein (Ralph Macchio, Mitchell Whitfield) are accused of murder while on a cross-country trip through Alabama in 'My Cousin Vinny', directed by Jonathan Lynn. See, once in Alabama, they stopped at a convenience store to pick up snacks, but were soon arrested (down the road) when the clerk of said convenience store wound up murdered. They thought they were being arrested for shoplifting a can of tuna. Now, they're facing execution for a crime they didn't commit. Broke & desperate for a lawyer, they hire Bill's Brooklynite cousin, Vincent "Vinny" Laguardia Gambini, to handle their case. What they don't realize, though, is that Vinny has only been a lawyer for a few weeks!
So aside from defending his clients, Vinny must also battle an uncompromising judge (Fred Gwynne), some backwoods locals, & even his own brassy fiancee, Mona Lisa Vito (Marisa Tomei, in a stunning, break-out comedic performance). She's attractive, whip smart, loves Vinny ... but doesn't know when to shut up {haha}. She wants to help; to prove the innocence of these 2 boys. And before long, Vinny would start to pick-up on the fact that he needs her help.
What ensues is a HILARIOUS series of events where little tough guy Vinny is a fish-out-of-water - trying desperately to quell issues with the domineering judge, as well as: staying out of jail (himself), fixing his car, finding proper accommodations, getting proper sleep, eating proper food, ohhh ... and proving the kids' innocence so they can leave Alabama alive. Joe Pesci is nothing short of fantastic as the sarcastic ("what do ya think, honey? Breakfast?" - when breakfast is the only option on the menu), tough-as-nails, no bullsh*ttin' lawyer who knows that the lives of these 2 teens rest in his inexperienced hands. As mentioned, Fred Gwynne (and his sage, baritone voice) is omnipotent, yet oddly charming as the conservative southern judge. He's great; & has astute comedic timing to boot. I loved Bruce McGill's sheriff, Lane Smith as the amiable-but-hell bent-on-winning prosecutor, & Austin Pendleton as a stuttering lawyer {you'll howl with laughter}.
But the revelation of 'My Cousin Vinny' IS Marisa Tomei, the fiery, raven-haired, hellcat fiancee. Her Lisa fights with Pesci's Vinny constantly ... but it's always with love. And my favorite spat they had was over a leaky faucet in one of their hotel bathrooms; it just crackles with chemistry, humor, & sexual innuendo. To them, fighting is foreplay. Another highlight is her defense of a deer argument "Imagine you're a deer in the woods ... when bam a fu*&ing bullet rips off part of ya head ...". And then, the pie de resistance is the climactic courtroom scene when she's asked to testify about a car model (her 'family are mechanics').
'My Cousin Vinny' just gets it all right. I laughed my butt off. i.e., look out for a screeching owl in the middle of the film. And enjoy a running gag Vinny has with a local hick who's trying to stiff him out of $200. The plot scenarios are unique & brilliant. The dialogue is smart-talkin'. And you'll walk out of the theater or pop it out of your DVD machine smiling at what you just watched. I. Love. This. Movie.
So aside from defending his clients, Vinny must also battle an uncompromising judge (Fred Gwynne), some backwoods locals, & even his own brassy fiancee, Mona Lisa Vito (Marisa Tomei, in a stunning, break-out comedic performance). She's attractive, whip smart, loves Vinny ... but doesn't know when to shut up {haha}. She wants to help; to prove the innocence of these 2 boys. And before long, Vinny would start to pick-up on the fact that he needs her help.
What ensues is a HILARIOUS series of events where little tough guy Vinny is a fish-out-of-water - trying desperately to quell issues with the domineering judge, as well as: staying out of jail (himself), fixing his car, finding proper accommodations, getting proper sleep, eating proper food, ohhh ... and proving the kids' innocence so they can leave Alabama alive. Joe Pesci is nothing short of fantastic as the sarcastic ("what do ya think, honey? Breakfast?" - when breakfast is the only option on the menu), tough-as-nails, no bullsh*ttin' lawyer who knows that the lives of these 2 teens rest in his inexperienced hands. As mentioned, Fred Gwynne (and his sage, baritone voice) is omnipotent, yet oddly charming as the conservative southern judge. He's great; & has astute comedic timing to boot. I loved Bruce McGill's sheriff, Lane Smith as the amiable-but-hell bent-on-winning prosecutor, & Austin Pendleton as a stuttering lawyer {you'll howl with laughter}.
But the revelation of 'My Cousin Vinny' IS Marisa Tomei, the fiery, raven-haired, hellcat fiancee. Her Lisa fights with Pesci's Vinny constantly ... but it's always with love. And my favorite spat they had was over a leaky faucet in one of their hotel bathrooms; it just crackles with chemistry, humor, & sexual innuendo. To them, fighting is foreplay. Another highlight is her defense of a deer argument "Imagine you're a deer in the woods ... when bam a fu*&ing bullet rips off part of ya head ...". And then, the pie de resistance is the climactic courtroom scene when she's asked to testify about a car model (her 'family are mechanics').
'My Cousin Vinny' just gets it all right. I laughed my butt off. i.e., look out for a screeching owl in the middle of the film. And enjoy a running gag Vinny has with a local hick who's trying to stiff him out of $200. The plot scenarios are unique & brilliant. The dialogue is smart-talkin'. And you'll walk out of the theater or pop it out of your DVD machine smiling at what you just watched. I. Love. This. Movie.