My Cousin Vinny (1992)

Director: Jonathan Lynn                              Writer: Dale Launer
Film Score: Randy Edelman                        Cinematography: Peter Deming
Starring: Joe Pesci, Marisa Tomei, Ralph Macchio and Fred Gwynne

I am definitely not a fan of Joe Pesci, and I don’t really care for Ralph Macchio either. My Cousin Vinny, however, is one of those rare instances when the greatness of the film as a whole outweighs any nitpicking about the stars. But I think there’s more at work here, too. As with other comic actors who have a tendency to go overboard it takes a strong director to reign them in and Jonathan Lynn was able to keep Pesci on a short leash, still allowing his powerful sarcasm to shine through but within an overall dramatic performance than never devolves into spoof or lampoon. Add to that the considerable talents of Marisa Tomei--she won an Academy Award for her performance--and solid character acting, and it makes this is one of the great comic films of the nineties or of any decade.

The story begins with Ralph Macchio taking a road trip through the South with his friend, Mitchell Whitfield. Stopping at a convenience store, they stock up on food and go on their way. Stopped a few miles later by the sheriff, they are promptly arrested for murder of the store clerk and put in jail. Macchio remembers his cousin, Joe Pesci, is a lawyer and sends for him. When he and his girlfriend, Marisa Tomei, roll into town it’s clear they’re fish out of water, New Yorkers in the Alabama. But things get worse when the defendants learn that it’s Pesci’s first case. He makes mistakes, gets arrested for contempt of court, but once he finally gets his stride he really does surprisingly well.

There is so much to like about this film. The comedic aspects that arise from the culture clash between the New Yorkers and the Southerners from Alabama are great, especially in the courtroom. Fred Gwynn plays the judge and does a terrific job of taking Pesci to task for his inexperience. Their antagonistic relationship is hilarious to watch. At the same time Tomei wants to help with the case but Pesci won’t let her, even though whenever she does it’s a major help. There’s also a lot of comedy that comes out of the running gag when noise at each place the couple stays the night wakes them up early in the morning. The relationship between Pesci and Tomei is the core of the film, though, because no matter how much they argue there is never any meanness to it and it always resolves into something tender and genuine.

There is a substantive supporting cast and they do a nice job. The defense attorney is played by Lane Smith, and his expert witness is James Rebhorn. The sheriff is the great Bruce McGill and the public defender is Austin Pendleton. Other small parts include Maury Chaykin as a witness, Chris Ellis as a redneck, and Bob Penny as a juror. There are times, of course, when the characterizations are a little forced, but that is part of the overall charm of the film. It exists in a world of its own, a fantasy of the South that begins as a stereotype but evolves into something much more forgiving. The humor is broad at times, but the writing is very good also. My Cousin Vinny has certainly attained the status of classic, which can be measured by its frequent broadcasts on cable TV. The real reason it’s a classic, however, is the genuine quality of the performances and wealth of humor inherent in the script. It’s definitely one of my favorite comedies, and I’m not alone.