Thanks for checking out our Forgotten Fridays feature. This is a feature to review some older films that maybe you have forgotten about or maybe never got around to seeing that we just want to share. They may not be old, maybe not forgotten, but they are not new. Just fun to share.
Today’s review is My Cousin Vinny
THE GENERAL IDEA
Bill and Stan are mistaken for murderers while on a roadtrip vacation before heading to college, and Bill’s family sends his street smart cousin who finally passed the bar and is now a lawyer to defend them for his first case as a lawyer.
THE GOOD
The cast in this is incredible and after one viewing you will be convinced Marisa Tomei was deserving of her Best Supporting Actress Oscar. She steals every scene she is in. Especially her hypothetical “deer by the water” scenario she shares with Vinny. This was also the last theatrical role for Fred Gwynne, most famous as the Frankenstein-like Herman on the Munsters.
The laughs are non-stop. Joe Pesci, fresh off the set of Goodfellas makes a convincing badass New Yorker and the accent that he and Tomei put on is just delightfully accurate.
While Ralph Maccio is 31 at the time of this film, he plays the eager and somewhat niave college student caught in a bad situation very well. His role is relatively minor – he is the unfortunate guy for which there needs to be a titular cousin named Vinny, but still important to the movie. Yet no one outshines Vinny, and his interactions with long time fiance Mona (Tomei) and the Judge make the whole film.
THE BAD
Your sides will likely be tender after viewing this. I still laugh heartily even with repeat viewings. You are warned.
OVERALL
The film delivers the laughs, which is all you can ask for in a comedy. But this does more. It has heart, and it keeps you drawn in. It even gives you some light hearted scenes to recover your breath before making you laugh again.
Typically this is where we would write a “Out of 10″ rating, but since all of these Forgotten Friday reviews are going to be what I would already give a high rating to, I have made my own rating system.
TV – Make a point of watching it if you see it listed on TV.
Rent – Good enough to go out of your way to see it, but not enough to buy it.
Buy – So good. You will watch it again and again. Buy it!
So on a scale of TV, Rent or Buy I suggest BUY! The movie makes its BluRay debut this week, so hit up your big box store and grab a copy!
