Rating: 
Summary: Justice Is Blind, Deaf, And Funny
Review: My Cousin Vinny is one of my favorite comedy films from the early 90's The success of the movie took everyone by surprise It was one of those movies that was helped by good "word of mouth" When I recently watched the movie again, after many years since the last viewing, I had almost forgotten just how funny "Vinny" is.As two college friends, Billy (Ralph Macchio) and Stan (Mitchell Whitfield), are traveling through Alabama, they are wrongfully arrested for murder. The only legal represention that they can afford is Billy's cousin Vincent Gambini (Joe Pesci), a former New York City auto mechanic-turned lawyer, who has never tried a case before, much less been outside the city of Brooklyn. With his fiancee Lisa (Marisa Tomei) in tow, Vinny must not only deal with local customs, but he also goes head to head with a well known DA (Lane Smith), and a by the book Judge (Fred Gwynne), who has little time for any antics in his courtroom. Directed with a "breezy" style by Jonathan Lynn, and with a very funny script by Dale Launer, the film already had a lot going for it. The performances from Pesci Tomei (for which she won an Oscar) and the late Gwynne are all pitch perfect and made the film so much more than it had any right to be Gwynne was the perfect straight man, while Pesci got to prove that he could be more than a second fiddle. The DVD could have used a few more extras to help make it rate a fifth star. The commentary track with Lynn is enjoyable to be sure. But I would have liked to have heard from either Launer, Pesci, Tomei, or all three as well. Standard theatrical trailers and television spots top off the disc. Special edition anyone?
Rating: 
Summary: When "Howard Beach" Meets "Alabama"
Review: In a memorable comic performance, Joe Pesci shines as Vinny Gambini, an Italian-American from New York who is sent to Alabama to help win the release of his cousin and his friend who have been charged with a murder they didn't commit. The only problem is that Vinny doesn't have any formal law-school training and must scam his way through the whole judicial process in order to gain the boys' freedom. Tagging along with him is his fiancée Mona Lisa Vito (Marisa Tomei in an Oscar-winning performance) who is a hairdresser with an avid knowledge of car mechanics. The movie which pokes fun of regional differences in the United States is hysterical from the start, and Pesci and Tomei make an awesome match. Also lending their talents to the film are Ralph Macchio ("The Karate Kid") as Vinny's cousin, and Fred Gwynne (television's "The Munsters") as the Southern judge who has a great dislike for Vinny's ways. While the film has many memorable scenes, the two funniest have to be when Vinny meets his cousin's friend in the jail cell where both are being kept. Seeing that his cousin is sleeping, and his friend not knowing who Vinny is, the scene will make many roll because of Pesci's language, which makes the other inmate feel that Vinny is a new inmate who was thrown into the cell in order to release "his physical tension" with them. Another scene that will make many laugh is when Mona Lisa has to buy Vinny a second-hand suit for a court appearance, after his suit is soiled by mud. I won't give it away, but one must see people's reactions when Vinny enters the Alabaman courtroom with his new duds. This has to be one of the funniest comedies I have seen in a long time, and the cast give excellent performances. While many might have argued about Tomei winning the Best Supporting Actress award over more established English actresses, she deserved her award for her performance, especially when she gives her testimony about her knowledge about cars in the movie's final scene. She was a true scene-stealer! Buy this film today! I already have it on my list, and you should too.
Rating:
Summary: Vinny Is The Ultimate Goomba!!
Review: Famous Goomba Characters (Do you recognize them all?) "Vinny Gambini" (My Cousin Vinny)
"Vinny Barbarino" (Welcome Back, Kotter)
"Arthur Fonzarelli" (Happy Days)
"Tony Micelli" (Who's The Boss)
"Vinnie Delpino" (Doogie Howser, MD)
"Columbo" (Columbo)
"Joey Tribbiani" (Friends)
"George Costanza" (Seinfeld)
"Sophia Petrillo" (The Golden Girls)
"Mario & Luigi" (Super Mario Bros)
"Tony Manero" (Saturday Night Fever)
"Maria Ragetti" (Grumpier Old Men)
"Frankie Zito" (Kiss Me Guido)
"Rocky Balboa" (Rocky)
"Monty Capuletti" (Easy Money)
Rating:
Summary: You Can Still Call Me Gambini...
Review: My Cousin Vinny is one of the funniest flicks ever. Take Joe Pesci, the hilarious little Italian fella and put him with the beautiful Marisa Tomei, and you got a great combo and a laugh-riot movie. Pesci, is Vinny, Brooklyn-born lawyer, who ain't the perfect lawyer--but has a lot of heart. His wife-to-be, Mona Lisa Vito, helps out Vin when he's down... and they are both down--wayyyy down south in Alabama, defending his wrongfully accused murder suspect cousin (played by Karate Kid, Ralph Macchio in a great role), and his buddy. Italians and non-Italians will love this Pesci flick--it ranks right up there with GoodFellas & Casino anyday. Tomei won an Oscar, and why not, she's dead-on balls accurate as a New Yawker--and damn cute too! Great video. Buy it today, I guarentee you a thousand laughs.
Rating:
Summary: Two "yewts," a green Buick... and murder
Review: Probably one of the funniest movies I've seen in at least the past twenty years is "My Cousin Vinny," starring Joe Pesci, Marisa Tomei, Fred Gwynne, Ralph Macchio, and Mitchell Whitfield. "My Cousin Vinny" tells the story of how a coupla easy-goin' college kids on their way from "Big Apple," where they live, to California, where they go to school, run afoul of the law in Alabama. Somehow, Bill Gambini and Stan Rothenstein manage to get themselves charged with a murder they didn't commit. Two New York City kids, alone and broke in a small-town jail, charged with murder... And no lawyer in sight. What to do? Call home, of course! The solution to their problem of not having a lawyer? Naturally - enlist the help of the lawyer in the family,!
Enter Bill's cousin, Vinny Gambini (played by Joe Pesci), A sawed-off, wise-crackin,' street-wise, runt of a man with one of doze "tick Brawnx accents" and an ego that far exceeds his diminutive stature. His mission: to defend the two "yewts" (youths) against charges of murder. Accompanying Vinny is his beautiful fiancee, Mona Lisa (Lisa) Vito (Marisa Tomei), an unemployed beautician with an encyclopedic knowledge of automobiles and auto mechanics. It looks like the day is saved for Stan and Bill. Only... they have a BI-I-G problem on their hands: Vinny's only been a lawyer for six weeks. That's after trying - and failing - to pass his bar exams for six years!! And, he's never... ever... tried a case in a real live courtroom. I won't give away any more of the plot. You'll just have to watch "My Cousin Vinny" to see how Vinny Gambini stumbles and fumbles and bumbles his way through the most important case of his new-found legal career, all the while contending with characters like the austere Judge Chamberlain Haller, a man with a grim countenance and a sense of humor to match; Jim Trotter III, the local District Attorney, a smooth-talking, highly experienced, and very competent prosecutor; Public Defender John Gibbons, a second-rate lawyer who can barely spit words out of his mouth, much less complete sentences; and a host of the town's local citizens - some of them witnesses, others just a pain in the neck, but all of them busily engaged in a constant clash of cultures with Vinny, Lisa, Bill, and Stan. Excellent performances abound in "My Cousin Vinny." Joe Pesci attacks his role as Vinny with gusto, imbuing his character with tons of bluster and baloney. Marisa Tomei comes darn close to stealing the entire show with her performance as Mona Lisa Vito. In fact, she's so good that she won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for this role. In one of his last roles before his death in 1993, Fred Gwynne is excellent as the no-nonsense Judge Chamberlain Haller. A stickler for the rules of proper courtroom etiquette, this formidably featured magistrate finds it his duty to get the hapless Vinny Gambini to shape up... or pay the consequences. Screen Writer Dale Launer never misses an opportunity to poke fun at many of our American foibles. Of course, the legal profession takes the brunt of Launer's sharp-witted pen. Ambulance chasing, incompetence, and an overly legalistic approach to the law are but a few of the legal profession's faults lampooned in this film. "My Cousin Vinny" brilliantly parodies our cultural differences as well. It draws sharp - and hilarious - contrast between the bucolic and the urban; and the provincial and the urbane. The movie also does an excellent job of pointing out, in a humorous way, our tendency to stereotype people and cultures not our own. All this makes for a side-splitting two hours of cinematic entertainment!
Rating:
Summary: Mike Hint
Review: i think that this movie was one of the best movies i have ever seen. Joe Pesci was the right person for this movie he played a great and convincing roll. I like the way that the writer of the movie made Joe Pesci not know what he is doing so he had to learn so his cousin didnt go to jail. I loved the twists and turns that made you think. All in all this was a great movie and i would reccomend you to see this.
Rating:
Summary: Very funny courtroom comedy with Joe Pesci and Fred Gwynne
Review: "My Cousin Vinny" is not a well known film but is worth watching out for. A very funny Joe Pesci has the time of his life in the lead role of "Vinny" with excellent support from Marisa Tomei in an Oscar winning performance as his girl friend. This film is a complete change for Pesci after his usual tough guy gangster roles in films such as "Good Fellas" and "Casino". Fred Gwynne was outstanding as Judge Haller in a well written role and his scenes in the courtroom with Joe Pesci were hilarious. The story revolves around two boys, Bill Gambini (Ralph Macchio) and Stan Rothenstein (Mitchell Whitfield) who while driving through Alabama are arrested for murder. Although innocent they are sent to jail and Bill's cousin Vinny (Joe Pesci) drives down from New York to defend them. Unfortunately Vinny has never tried a murder case before, has never actually been in a courtroom and has only been practising law for six weeks!! This does not deter him from taking on the case however nor the many courtroom clashes he has with the redoubtable Judge Haller. The Judge is not too impressed with this oddly dressed character from New York although what Vinny lacks in courtroom experience he more than makes up for with his enthusiasm and his belief that the two boys are innocent. As well as studying the local bulky law technique manuals, sifting through the evidence, interviewing prospective witnesses and trying to build some kind of defence, Vinny also has the problem of keeping one step ahead of Judge Haller who is trying to obtain confirmation of the lawyer's qualifications from sources in New York (which are of course non existent!). Some favourite lines from the film: Mitchell Whitfield (to Ralph Macchio): "Ridiculous, all this over a can of tuna!". Fred Gwynne (to Joe Pesci): "Once again the communication process is broken down". Pesci (to Gwynne): "You were serious about that?". Well written, expertly acted, this is one of the funniest courtroom comedies you will see in a long time.
Rating:
Summary: Northern Lawyers meet Southern Justice - unexpected results!
Review: Joe Pesci and Marisa Tormei are both an absolute scream in this movie. The sparks fly between Pesci and girlfriend Tormei, as well as between Pesci and Fred Gwynne's Chamberlain Holler, an Alabama Judge. I had dreaded seeing it - the television ads almost made me cringe as I anticipated a film which would bash southern rednecks. What I had NOT anticipated was that a story could be told about a couple of New Yorkers falsely charged and locked up in an Alabama jail that could be resolved in a way that justice could be served and the southerners would be portrayed in a way that was not at all stereotypical. I can think of no other plot that has as one of its essential elements a comparison of the amount of time required to properly cook grits. "No self-respecting southerner would make instant grits" a character proclaims from the witness stand during the trial that is the centerpiece of this witty screenplay, and the other southerners in the film's jury nod their heads in understanding. Fred Gwynne is light-years away from Herman Munster as the wise southern judge who is out for justice, but not to be trifled with. Ralph Macchio and Mitchell Whitfield have little to do other than look worried that Ralph's Cousin Vinny isn't going to come through and save the day. At less than 10 bucks, I'd buy this DVD if only to watch Tormei's hilarious response when Pesci tells her that he has been invited to go deer hunting with the Lane Smith's District Attorney.
Rating:
Summary: A 90's comic gem
Review: My Cousin Vinny is one of the best comedies of the 90's, and on my list of favorites as well.I can't think of a better weekend movie!By weekend, I mean one of those light,fluffy warm-hearted, effortlessly engaging films that you can watch over and over again.My Cousin Vinny is that film by a mile-thanks to its brilliant comedic performances, which truly raise this film to a caliber all its own.The entire cast is excellent, but Marisa Tomei, and Joe Pesci truly shine in their wisecracking lead roles. The premise is this-two young guys accidentally end up stealing a can of tuna at a tiny supermarket in the middle of nowhere.They end up getting arrested, and questioned.The two guys, thinking they're being questioned about the can of tuna, admit to their "crime" without hesitation.However, the police have a whole 'nother agenda on their hands-they actually think they've arrested two killers, and are questioning the innocent duo about a murder which the police, due to their confession, now believe they're guilty of.The two guys are quick to realize their mistake, but there's nothing they can do about it, and are forced to go to trial for their "murder".Having no money to hire a real attourney, one of the boys calls up his cousin Vinny, a "lawyer" who doesn't have a single case on his hands, and has never even been inside a courtroom!What follows is a non-stop fest of fun,fun, and can I say MORE FUN. My Cousin Vinny is one of those movies that will make you laugh until you cry.Many movies are labeled "funny" but once you see them, few actually warrant more than a grin every one in a while.But My Cousin Vinny is a film that will make a person on their death bed sit up-and laugh. The script is endlessly sharp and witty, the performances are brilliant,superbly executed, and a sheer joy to watch, and the film holds some truly memorable scenes which you will replay, whether out loud or in your head, over and over and over again. Sure, its not "intelligent", and its definately not a film you have to think about, but it doesn't need to be, because it warrants brilliant comedy like no other recent film I can think of.
Rating:
Summary: Crystal clear
Review: I have for the past 10 years seen DVD movies and I BET, without any apology that this very one is one in all, very unique in terms of clarity and quality. It is PERFECT. Big up massive.
Humble Lion say so.
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