November 21, 2008: My Cousin Vinny
My Cousin Vinny (1992) is another one of those comedies I can repeatedly watch, sometimes just putting on the DVD in the background while I do something else. The energy in the performances and the story, the portrayals edging on cartoonish stereotypes but clearly reflecting reality, and the comic talent on display really elevate this above the silly fish-out-of-water material it could have been.
At the time of this film’s release, Joe Pesci was at his career peak. Two years previously he had co-starred in Home Alone, the top grossing film of 1990, and won an Oscar for his supporting role in Goodfellas. My Cousin Vinny is perfect for Pesci. He’s had an odd career, with his standout performances being either broad comedy (Home Alone, My Cousin Vinny) or serious drama (most notably his collaborations with Martin Scorsese such as Raging Bull and Goodfellas). The middle-ground stuff doesn’t stick out as much. It’s fair to say that his range is limited, but he brings great performances to roles within that range, unleashing a ferocity which from most actors seems like cheap melodrama.
The story concerns a couple of Italian-American New York “youths” (including no less than The Karate Kid, Ralph Macchio) traveling through rural Alabama, who stop to buy some groceries at a convenience store. Two other random young men rob the store and murder the clerk shortly thereafter. The descriptions of our protagonists and their car unfortunately match those of the perpetrators. Our friendly youths from New York are quickly picked up, and in the police station, confusion over the nature of the crime (they realize they accidentally took an item without paying for it, so they are apologetic and confessing) leads to them being charged with murder and facing a possible death penalty.
The two are stuck with nowhere to turn, but Macchio’s character recalls that he has a cousin in New York, Vinny, who is a lawyer and might be able to help. Vinny makes his way down to Alabama with his fiancée, struggles to acclimate to the southern culture and also struggles with courtroom procedure since he’s not quite as seasoned a lawyer as the boys might have believed, but eventually he learns the ropes and makes a compelling case for the dismissal of the charges.
This film isn’t afraid to resort to slapstick, but doesn’t overuse it. The courtroom drama portion of the story is given the weight it deserves, since the boys really are on trial for their lives, and Vinny does his best to get up to speed on local customs and learn how to relate with people to make his points. Marisa Tomei as Vinny’s fiancée (Marisa Tomei in one of the biggest Supporting Actress Oscar upsets in recent memory, if we can call 1992 recent) is pivotal to bringing us to the heart of Vinny’s vulnerabilities, as she supports him and challenges him and ultimately provides the analysis which turns the court case around.
The presence of strong and well-known character actors in supporting roles greatly enhances the film, and also speaks to the strength of the script. TV’s Herman Munster, Fred Gwynne, plays the judge. Canada’s Maury Chaykin is one of the witnesses. Theatre legend Austin Pendleton plays a defense attorney briefly retained while Vinny is struggling in the early stages of the court case.
My Cousin Vinny is a timeless comedy, well worth revisiting, and highly recommended to anyone who has never seen it.
Post a Comment