My Cousin Vinny (1992) ****

This is another classic that most people have already seen, but since it dates back to 1992, there's a younger generation who may never have heard of it. Either way, if you haven't seen it, you should, and if you have seen it, it holds up really well to a repeat.

“My Cousin Vinny” features Joe Pesci in his prime. The New York Times recently had an article about Pesci and how he's a great dramatic actor who got pigeonholed into comedy for years. I don't know how Pesci feels about his career, but I feel like he would have been wasted in dramas when he does comedy this well. His energy, comic timing, and physicality keep the film moving hilariously. Then there's Marisa Tomei. Beautiful, expressive, and funny, she's the perfect foil for Pesci, and she won an Oscar for her efforts.

Ralph Macchio and Mitchell Whitfield play Bill and Stan, a couple of young, Brooklyn boys on a road trip who get mistakenly arrested for murder in a small, Alabama town. An array of eye-witnesses identify them as the killers, and there's no money for a seasoned, defense lawyer. Things look dire for the boys, until Bill recruits his cousin, Vinny Gambini (Pesci), to represent them. Vinny is fresh out of law school, with no criminal defense experience, but as Bill explains, “The Gambinis live to argue.”

Vinny shows up with his alligator boots and leather jacket, and the only person more out of place in rural Alabama than Vinny is his miniskirted, huge-haired fiance, Mona Lisa (Tomei). Vinny gets off to a bad start, irritating the judge with his leather jacket and ignorance of criminal procedure. As you can guess, he eventually puts up a great defense, with an assist from his girl.

As ridiculous as the movie is (they manage to wrap up a capital murder case over just a few days), some of the courtroom aspects are considered quite realistic, and “My Cousin Vinny” is actually taught in some law schools. The way Vinny interviews the witnesses and cross-examines them in court is considered textbook litigation, way more realistic than a lot of serious, legal thrillers. But you don't need to be a law student to love it. The dialogue, comedic timing, and Marisa Tomei's legs make this a turn-of-the-century classic that everyone can love!

4 stars out of 5