My Cousin Vinny is
laugh-out-loud funny, warmhearted, and so carefully constructed that it’s like
a master class in storytelling. My Cousin Vinny is a classic.
The film is a fish-out-of-water comedy in which newly-minted
lawyer Vinny Gambini (Joe Pesci) and his fiancée Mona Lisa Vito (Marisa Tomei,
in an Academy Award winning performance) travel to deepest Alabama to defend
Vinny’s cousin in a murder trial. The
cousin (Ralph Maccio) and a friend had been road-tripping through the South on
their way to college when a case of mistaken identity landed them in Jail, so
it’s up to Vinny to save the day.
This movie could have gone wrong in so many ways. It could have portrayed the locals as hicks
or thugs or any number of offensive stereotypes one could pin on
Southerners. It could have turned Vinny
into a crook or a goomba or any number of offensive stereotypes one could pin
on New Yorkers. Instead, it paints the
Southerners as decent, honest professionals who are trying to do the right
thing. It paints the New Yorkers as
decent (basically) honest hustlers who are trying to do the right thing. In fact, there’s so much decency and honesty
going around that this film has no villain (other than the real killers, who
remain helpfully out of frame).
This lack of a villain grants the film a certain bonhomie, a
sense that everything’s going to be ok, even though we know the stakes are
high. This gives us room to laugh, and My Cousin Vinny capitalizes on that room
to deliver one gag after another, each rooted in the characters and situation
and not simply pulled from the ether.
The film also benefits from its near-perfect
construction. My Cousin Vinny doesn’t have a one wasted shot or line of
dialogue. Everything we see either lays
the foundation for something to come later, tells us something about the
characters, or sets up a laugh – often, all at the same time. It’s one of those rare comedies that rewards
repeat viewing, as it gives us the opportunity to enjoy seeing all the pieces
move into place.
In short, I love this movie.
I see it every few years and, every few years, it delights me. My most recent viewing was with my
14-year-old. I’m pleased to report that it delights the next generation, as well.
Movies just don’t get much better than My Cousin Vinny.
PS Shoutout to
costume designer Carol Wood. This was
her last film, and the things she did with Marisa Tomei are simply
magnificent. Brava!
