X
- 1992
- R
- Twentieth Century Fox
- 2 h
- 1992
- R
- Twentieth Century Fox
- 2 h
Summary Two young New Yorkers are accused of murder in rural Alabama while on their way back to college, and one of their cousins--an inexperienced, loudmouth lawyer (Joe Pesci) not accustomed to Southern rules and manners--comes in to defend them.
Directed By: Jonathan Lynn
Written By: Dale Launer
- 1992
- R
- Twentieth Century Fox
- 2 h
- 1992
- R
- Twentieth Century Fox
- 2 h
My Cousin Vinny
68
7.9
Where to Watch
Summary Two young New Yorkers are accused of murder in rural Alabama while on their way back to college, and one of their cousins--an inexperienced, loudmouth lawyer (Joe Pesci) not accustomed to Southern rules and manners--comes in to defend them.
Directed By: Jonathan Lynn
Written By: Dale Launer
Where to Watch
Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 23 Critic Reviews
68
74% Positive
17 Reviews
17 Reviews
22% Mixed
5 Reviews
5 Reviews
4% Negative
1 Review
1 Review
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 23 Critic Reviews
68
74% Positive
17 Reviews
17 Reviews
22% Mixed
5 Reviews
5 Reviews
4% Negative
1 Review
1 Review
Taken a little too seriously, My Cousin Vinny can be seen as a celebration of the breadth and richness of the American landscape. Maybe the movie isn't exactly about that, but to enjoy it is, in a small way, to celebrate that richness.
[13 Mar 1992, p.D3]
My Cousin Vinny is a hoot.
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 52 User Ratings
7.9
81% Positive
42 Ratings
42 Ratings
17% Mixed
9 Ratings
9 Ratings
2% Negative
1 Rating
1 Rating
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 52 User Ratings
7.9
81% Positive
42 Ratings
42 Ratings
17% Mixed
9 Ratings
9 Ratings
2% Negative
1 Rating
1 Rating
My Cousin Vinny isn't any Masterpiece but it is a great comedy, a fun court comedy drama that perform funnily by the great Joe Pesci and delightfully by Marisa Tomei, the rest of the cast was also good, this is what makes Pesci special is that in the case of Raging Bull and Goodfellas he can be the scariest and most intense person in the room but in the case of My Cousin Vinny and another example of great comedy starring Pesci which is Home Alone he can also be the goofiest person in the room too, i have so much fun with My Cousin Vinny, i laugh a lot and i really enjoyed it.
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A good-hearted comedy of clashing cultures. The film finds great fun in coaxing out and mocking a range of regional differences, from mutually impenetrable accents to radical variants in dress codes, but miraculously never descends to broad, dismissive caricatures.
Tomei, sashaying through the proceedings as kind of a sexy hood ornament, creates a buoyant chemistry with her combative boyfriend.
It's hardly brilliant. But it's easygoing and occasionally quite funny and ultimately satisfying.
At two hours, something as thin and unexceptional as this, is just too long. The result is that all the running gags run out of steam and there are far too many fudgy bits between the comic highlights. Nevertheless, lightly likable.
Nothing makes a moviegoer feel more isolated than sitting stony-faced through a comedy that makes the rest of the audience laugh and cheer. Am I blind? Or are they seeing things?
Uma comédia simples e bem contada que prende na ao enredo sem esforço. Bom para quem gosta de humor sem piadas "pastelão".
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“Ridiculous! All this over a can of tuna!”
This movie is HILARIOUS! I haven't laughed this hard in a while.
In the surface, My Cousin Vinny seems to be a small easy-going comedy movie with a fish-out-of-water/mistaken identity story, and that's exactly how should you see it to enjoy it, but that doesn't mean it's just that kind of a movie. This movie doesn't just have some smart jokes, and funny characters, but it's a clever, and kinda profound movie at its core. The way the sub-plots are connected to the character arc of Vinny, and how they reflect his development, and express his feelings, reminded me of the Coen Bros. quite a bit, but, of course, in a much lighter way. The funny misfortunes of Vinny are purely Coen-esque! And of course that means that the movie has a moral, and it's really an impressive, and sorta useful, one. It's a message about changing for better; a message about the indifference and how it's unprofitable, and even harmful.
As I mentioned that it's better to watch the movie as a comedy and nothing else, I did that and I think My Cousin Vinny almost excels on so many levels as a comedy. From the clever jokes, to the comical slap-stick direction style, to the both oddball and reasonable characters, I found myself enjoying every moment in the movie, and laugh constantly throughout its runtime.
Joe Pesci and Marisa Tomei's chemistry is just unparalleled! Needless to say that they delivered some of their best performances in their rich career bringing their already well-composed and well-designed characters to life. Especially Mona Lisa Vito, played by Marisa Tomei that I found she really has some depth that can rarely be found in comedy movies. She's a round character; stubborn, kinda sassy, yet smart and sensitive... and she's cute, too!
Mitchell Whitfield and Ralph Macchio, who played the two young New Yorkers, are also very good; they have a good chemistry as well, and their reactions to the misunderstanding at the beginning are hysterically funny.
The third act that take place in the courtroom is more serious, but that definitely doesn't mean it doesn't contain jokes or lack of humor. In addition to that, it has prepared for it very well. What surprised me is that I found the third act could be the most intriguing part of the movie. Due to the smartness of the script, the dialogue is pretty sharp, the denouement is surprisingly convincing, and the jokes this time is more clever because they rely on the writing and the acting, not the direction. I mean in a large part, obviously.
The dramatic moments at the let-downs, however, seem very forced, and didn't work for me at all. They really could have been balanced with the comical tone of the movie way better than that. The plot could seem a bit familiar, but the content, and many details feel so fresh you almost can't notice this familiarity except when the credits roll.
I want to praise Jonathan Lynn's classic visual style of comedy, but it's better to be seen to be appreciated. Please do yourself a favor, and watch this hidden, underappreciated gem.
(9/10)
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It's been 30 years since the release of this film at the time I'm writing this review in September of 2022, and I'm just seeing it for the first time. I guess I missed this one?? I know it was a hit back in '92 but I'm afraid it comes across as a product of it's time. Not Pesci's best performance by far, in my opinion, and overall it fell flat with occasional moments that gave me a little chuckle. I dunno, I just wasn't feelin' this one.
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your gullibility towards this sweet tale won't end up..
My Cousin Vinny
Lynn's mockery over the judicial system and the lower mentality of the society works like a charm that sweeps away its runtime in front of your eyes and your gullibility towards this sweet tale won't end up. It is not flat out hilarious. Maybe, because it doesn't try too hard. It is happy in its convenience. And it's that flow that makers doesn't wish to stop and neither do we. Satisfied within its range, this soothing feature endorses your textbook comic sequence with a bit of drama imputed in it that helps it make it more grounded and practical. And giving the script a hand, is the performance that makes it more pragmatic and believable. This hilarious casting is apt for this sort of storyline.
Pesci on the driver's seat has been allotted basically his home ground. This is his forte. Whether then be it to argue without any knowledge or do physical comedy, his range never fails to surprise you. His comic timing is off the roof. But this isn't a one man army war. The story demands a better guide to this protagonist and Tomei is just the actor to portray this character. Her accent, her whining over little things and a vital "witness" to this case, she is a competition to Pesci. Their bittersweet relationship is the trump card of the feature.
The narration though, is mediocre throughout the course. It's that flat line that is off putting. Even the courtroom drama offers you the expected chills and nothing extraordinary. Lynn manages to keep a big smile on your face thoroughly with Launer's simple and sensible script and his decent execution. There are no surprising elements, nothing to be mesmerized about. My Cousin Vinny is just like your cousin, you wouldn't leave your ears off when it has to say something, but you wouldn't miss it too, after the curtain drops.
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Production Company
Twentieth Century Fox,
Peter V. Miller Investment Corp.,
Dale Launer Production
Release Date Mar 13, 1992
Duration 2 h
Rating R
Tagline Truth, Justice And The Gambini Way.
Awards
Academy Awards, USA
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
American Comedy Awards, USA
• 1 Win & 3 Nominations
Chicago Film Critics Association Awards
• 1 Win & 2 Nominations
