My Cousin Vinny

My Cousin Vinny follows Joe Pesci’s street-smart attorney Vinny Gambini as he and his girlfriend (Marisa Tomei’s Mona Lisa) arrive in small-town Alabama to defend his incarcerated cousin, with the movie detailing Vinny’s exploits within the small town and his ongoing efforts to clear his innocent relative of all charges. Filmmaker Jonathan Lynn has infused My Cousin Vinny with a briskly-paced and easygoing vibe that persists from start to finish, with the movie’s slightly overlong running time generally not as problematic as one might’ve feared (ie why is a film like this 120 minutes?) The undercurrent of fish-out-of-water silliness goes a long way towards perpetuating the affable atmosphere, although it’s instantly clear that My Cousin Vinny‘s most potent weapon is its uniformly stellar performances – with Pesci’s engrossing turn as the title character matched by a fantastic supporting cast that includes Lane Smith, Austin Pendleton, and Fred Gwynne. (The latter is especially wonderful as the town’s cantankerous judge.) And although the midsection does feel somewhat erratic (ie certain scenes simply go on longer than necessary), My Cousin Vinny benefits substantially from a strong second half that revolves mostly around the often captivating court case – which ultimately does confirm the movie’s place as a superior comedic endeavor.

*** out of ****