My Cousin Vinny

1992
R
2h

IMDb RATING

7.6/10

145K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

Play trailer0:32

Legal Drama Comedy Crime

Two New Yorkers accused of murder in rural Alabama while on their way back to college call in the help of one of their cousins, a loudmouth lawyer with no trial experience.Two New Yorkers accused of murder in rural Alabama while on their way back to college call in the help of one of their cousins, a loudmouth lawyer with no trial experience.Two New Yorkers accused of murder in rural Alabama while on their way back to college call in the help of one of their cousins, a loudmouth lawyer with no trial experience.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.6/10

145K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

1,206

157

See production info at IMDbPro

Won 1 Oscar
- 5 wins & 6 nominations total

Trivia
The misunderstanding between Vincent Gambini and Judge Haller regarding the two "youts" was in fact a real conversation between Joe Pesci and director Jonathan Lynn. Lynn, who is English, at first had a hard time understanding Pesci's pronounced New York accent. He decided that the routine was quite funny and put it in the film.

Goofs
While judges do make errors once in awhile, it is practically impossible that any judge would overrule Vinny's objection to George Wilbur's testimony. To do so would almost certainly cause a conviction to be overturned at the appellate level.

Quotes
Mona Lisa Vito: You're goin' hunting?
Vinny Gambini: That's right.
Mona Lisa Vito: Why are you going hunting? Shouldn't you be out preparing for court?
Vinny Gambini: I was thinking last night. If only I knew what he knows, you know? If he'd let me look at his files; oh boy.
Mona Lisa Vito: I don't get it. What does getting to Trotter's files have anything to do with hunting?
Vinny Gambini: Well, you know, two guys, out in the woods, guns, on the hunt. It's a bonding thing, you know; show him I'm one of the boys. He's not gonna let me look at his files, but maybe he'll relax enough to drop his guard so I can finesse a little information out of him.
[Vinny searches through his clothes]
Vinny Gambini: What am I gonna wear?
Mona Lisa Vito: What are ya gonna hunt?
Vinny Gambini: I don't know. He's got a lot of stuffed heads in his office.
Mona Lisa Vito: Heads?
[Vinny looks up at Lisa]
Mona Lisa Vito: What kinda heads?
Vinny Gambini: I don't know, he's got a boar, a bear, a couple of deer.
Mona Lisa Vito: Whoa. You're gonna shoot a deer?
Vinny Gambini: I don't know. I suppose. I mean, I'm a man's man, I could go deer hunting.
Mona Lisa Vito: A sweet, innocent, harmless, leaf-eating, doe-eyed little deer.
Vinny Gambini: Hey Lisa, I'm not gonna go out there just to wimp out, you know. I mean, the guy will lose respect for me, would you rather have that?
[Lisa gets up, walks over to the bathroom and shuts the door]
Vinny Gambini: What about these pants I got on, you think they're O.K.?
[Vinny looks down]
Vinny Gambini: Oh!
Mona Lisa Vito: [comes out of the bathroom] Imagine you're a deer. You're prancing along, you get thirsty, you spot a little brook, you put your little deer lips down to the cool clear water... BAM! A fuckin bullet rips off part of your head! Your brains are laying on the ground in little bloody pieces! Now I ask ya. Would you give a fuck what kind of pants the son of a bitch who shot you was wearing?

Alternate versions
One version that aired on television omitted the entire subplot of Vinny making a deal with a pool player, and the scene where Vinny finds out there is a slaughterhouse next to one motel they stay in. References that Vinny makes to both these elements are cut out from his rant to Lisa about all the trouble he's going through for his court case.

Connections
Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Breakthrough Stars of 1992 (1992)

Soundtracks
Way Down South
Written by Edgar Winter
Performed by The Fabulous Thunderbirds
Produced by Barry Beckett for Beckett Productions
Courtesy of Epic Associated Records

User reviews347

Review

Featured review

8/10

The Importance of Physics

Two young men named "Bill Gambini" (Ralph Macchio) and "Stan Rothenstein" (Mitchell Whitfield) are driving on vacation from Brooklyn and happen to stop in Beecham County, Alabama for some groceries. Bill accidentally pockets a can of tuna into his jacket and forgets to pay the clerk at the counter. As he and Stan are driving down the road, Bill realizes his mistake and tells Stan. Although both of them are somewhat concerned, they continue driving down the road. They are then stopped by the police and taken to the local police station. Figuring that honesty is the best policy, Bill makes a blanket confession. What he doesn't realize is that he has inadvertently pleaded guilty to the murder of the store clerk. When he realizes his mistake he panics and turns to a lawyer in the family--his cousin "Vinny Gambini" (Joe Pesci) who is only too happy to drive down from Brooklyn with his fiancé "Mona Lisa Vito" (Marisa Tomei) to contest his very first trial. Ever. Anyway, rather than disclose the entire story, I will just say that this is a film that is one of the best comedies of the modern era. I really enjoyed the performances of Joe Pesci and Fred Gwynne ("Judge Chamberlain Haller") as both of them were hilarious. In addition to that, Marisa Tomei also put on quite a show and ended up winning an Academy Award for her performance. Now, having said all of that, I must warn viewers that some of the language may not be suitable for younger audiences. Be that as it may, if you are looking for a really good comedy--or if you're simply pondering the importance of physics--then you might want to check this film out.