The New York, Italian, wise-ass portrayals are so endearing and accurate that you can't help but fall in love with Joe Pesci as Vincent La Guardia Gambini, a fresh law school graduate, former mechanic, who has yet to pass the bar exam, and his Italian princess fiance, Mona Lisa Vito, who can pour her figure into a dress and cause head-turning, male whiplash.
Vinny and Mona Lisa are so perfectly cast and dressed in the basic black of New York that the only part of the nation they can blend in is Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. Outside of that enclave they do stick out.
There are judges who state they have seen the movie at least 50 times. Law school professors use scenes from the movie as examples of how to be an effective trial lawyer. The Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia once made reference to the movie as 'My Uncle Vinny.' While this drew some laughs, it was completely understandable that Justice Scalia could have changed the family relationship in the title, himself being of New Jersey, Italian heritage who probably did have an Uncle Vinny in the family. Perhaps in the same house.
For anyone who hasn't seen the movie, or who has somehow forgotten it, it revolves around Joe Pesci as the Cousin Vinny, who is called upon to defend his cousin and his friend who have been falsely accused of killing a convenience store clerk in Alabama. The evidence is highly circumstantial, but a guilty verdict will lead to the death penalty.
Initially, Vinny is barely competent, having never tried a case and never having passed the bar exam, despite the five attempts. He is even clueless about the Discovery phase of the trial that would allow him to review the evidence the prosecution has.
His fiance, Mona Lisa is no dummy, despite her Brooklyn gum-chewing accent and mannerisms of always feeling slighted. What are you looking at? She reads and guides Vinny in how to become a good trial lawyer.
Vinny of course adds his street smarts and the tide gets turned in the trial. Along the way we are treated to expert testimony by Mona Lisa on Chevy transmissions and her smarts as to identifying a "bogus question" as the prosecution tries to trip her up. She steals the movie, and the actress Marisa Tomei walks off with a best-supporting actress Oscar.
Mona Lisa, like Adelaide in the musical and movie 'Guys and Dolls,' is a suffering fiance to a serial, non-committed fiance for so long that she eventually explodes into a hilarious foot-stomping lecture to Vinny about her " biological clock" that leaves him speechless. The movie is a first class hoot.
As much as I love the movie, I'm not sure I'm in love with being reminded it came out 25 years ago. I remember the exact moment when someone at work, on our floor but from another area, came through the door and started to announce to her co-workers that she saw the funniest movie that weekend, 'My Cousin Vinny.'
I remember the name of the young women who talked of the movie. I couldn't help but hear her praise of the movie as she told her co-workers about it. Until that point, I don't remember hearing of the movie, or reading a review, despite trying to pay attention to new releases.
1992 as a year had meaning for me because it was when I started work in the Fraud Unit. I remember exactly where I was sitting when I heard of 'My Cousin Vinny,' and right now I can't help but replay in my mind the highlights and the lowlights of life ever since 1992. 9/11 is far, far away. The first attack on the World Trade Center has still not happened. You could get on an a airplane without taking your shoes off and without going through body scanners. I'm not sure the people who were murdered in my office on 9/16/2002 were even on staff in 1992.
'My Cousin Vinny' is a great movie. And 1992 was a good year.
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