Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4528 in DVD
• Released on: 2002-03-04
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Anamorphic, PAL, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: Czech, Danish, English, Finnish, Hebrew, Hungarian, Icelandic, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Swedish, Turkish
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 114 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
1992's My Cousin Vinny is a delightful comedy-cum-courtroom drama set in Alabama. Joe Pesci stars as Vinny, the garage mechanic recently turned lawyer, who finds himself straight in at the deep end when his young cousin is unjustly arrested, along with his buddy, for the murder of a store clerk. From the opening scenes in which the hapless arrestees labour under the impression they've been booked for stealing a can of tuna, My Cousin Vinny's comedic pace never slackens, even as the drama builds. Much of the fun derives from raw, Brooklyn native Vinny's coping with the cultural backwaters of the Deep South, from its lardy grits to the 5.30 am "alarm call" of the factory horn. There's a good running gag involving retrieving $200 from a recalcitrant local redneck, while his clashes with the court judge, played by the late Fred Gwynne are priceless. Pesci goads this stickler for procedures by mumbling expletives in court, turning up in a leather jacket, then a mauve frock coat and arousing the judge's suspicions as to his bona fides. However, it's Marisa Tomei who surprisingly, but justly, took an Academy Award for her performance as tomboyish Lisa, Vinny's girlfriend. Tart rather than tarty, she more than matches Pesci for Noo Yoik sass and mechanical knowledge, delivering a court lecture on limited slip differential and independent rear suspension that oozes improbable sexiness.

On the DVD: a decent presentation in 1.85:1 aspect ratio, though it's only Tomei's bizarrely eye-catching costumes which especially merit DVD enhancement. There's also a commentary by director (and co-creator of Yes Minister) Jonathan Lynn, in which--though at times seeming to struggle for interesting things to say--he reminisces on the fear in shooting the film's prison scenes adjacent to Death Row in a maximum security prison. --David Stubbs

DVD Description
DVD Special Features:

Audio Commentary by director Jonathan Lynn
2 Theatrical Trailers
Scene Access
Interactive Menus
English surround sound 2.0
Subtitles: Croatian, Czech, Danish, Finnish, Hebrew, Hungarian, Icelandic, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Swedish, Turkish, English for the hearing impaired.
1.85:1 Aspect ratio
16:9 widescreen version

Synopsis
Two carefree pals traveling through Alabama are mistakenly arrested and charged with murder. Fortunately, one of them has a cousin who's a lawyer. When Vinny arrives in Alabama with his leather-clad girlfriend, it's a real shock for all of them! Academy Awards: Best Supporting Actress--Marisa Tomei.

Customer Reviews

One of the funniest films ever.
Two friends, Stan and Billy, take a road trip down south but run into trouble when they are mistakenly arrested for murder in Alabama. The hapless youngsters have no money to hire an attorney but Billy's cousin Vinny (Joe Pesci) is a lawyer so they call on him to help. What they don't realise is that Vinny took 6 attempts to pass his legal exams and, what's more, has no courtroom experience to speak of. What follows is none stop humour and 'laugh aloud' moments as the brash New Yorker sweeps into the hick town accompanied by his strident girlfriend, Mona Lisa Vito (Marisa Tomei).
Vinny's lack of court etiquette, such as dressing in leathers and arriving late, quickly upsets the traditionalist judge, played by a brilliantly dry Fred Gwynne. The judge decides to have Vinny investigated in order to prove he is not fit to take the case whilst Vinny races against time to complete the case before the judge finds any information against him.
Marisa Tomei is the real scene-stealer with her brilliant portrayal of Mona Lisa, her courtroom scenes are pure genius, and she deservedly won an Oscar for the part. The film is no high budget work of art and the DVD has little in the way of extras but the sheer quality of acting and the wonderfully funny script more than compensate.

Fun and beauty
I just watched this for the third time, something I do very rarely.
This is one of my top favorite comedies of all time.
The story is good. It is very original. It is totally hilarious. The dialogue is great. And not the least, this is Marisa Tomei's greatest role. She is not only funny, she is arguably in this role the cutest thing in the universe. Irresistable.

Pure Fun
It has been 10 years since this film debuted and much has happened to the careers of the two principles in the movie. In addition to Joe Pesci and Marisa Tomei, a great performance was placed on screen by Fred Gwynne, known by many for one of the quirkier characters to ever appear on television, Fred Munster. Mr. Gwynne died in July of 1993, and a memorable actor was lost. Marisa Tomei was the big winner in this outing as her performance earned her an Academy Award for her performance as, "Mona Lisa Lise Vito". Add to that name the most intense Brooklyn accent ever placed on screen, and if your curiosity is piqued, this film is for you.

The story is one you have seen at least a dozen times, but the performances, both individually and as a cast, make this familiar theme very entertaining and funny. Joe Pesci is the cousin in the film that is dispatched to Alabama fresh from his successful 6th attempt at passing the bar to try his first case, and a double murder case no less. His character, and yes all of them are used, include Vincent La Guardia Gambini (a.k.a Jerry Gallo/Jerry Callo/Vinny 'Bag of Doughnuts') are worth listing, as again, it gives you a taste of what the film has on offer. The closest he can come to the word youths is utes, and when placed in front of a hanging judge......well you get the idea.

There are no surprises in the film, with the possible exception that the stereotypes of North and South are fairly evenly distributed. The closing soundtrack is also a gem. So if you are looking for a bit of humor that will ask nothing of you, except that you sit, watch and laugh, this is an easy way to pass 120 minutes.