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Created May 05, 2019 06:37PM PST • Edited Dec 23, 2019 02:12AM PST

1. Quality

2. Summary

   Good 3.0

   My Cousin Vinny is best thought of today as Marisa Tomei’s breakthrough. Perfectly paired with a then peaking Joe Pesci, the 30-something Tomei won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for a comedy. Damn.

   The movie itself is a genial send-up of stereotypes, Italian-American mostly. Delivered with good cheer and consummate performances by Tomei and Pesci, it makes for a very enjoyable time-killer.

4. Acting

   Great 4.0

   Marisa Tomei couldn’t be more fresh and charming as a wise-cracking New Yorker not always thrilled with her fiancé’s moves. Speaking of him, Joe Pesci delivered one of his patented Italian-American roles.

   • Ralph Macchio is genial but forgettable as a college kid in trouble.
   • Same with Mitchell Whitfield as his buddy.
   • Fred Gwynne jumped offscreen as a distinguished judge. Those of us of a certain age have indelible memories of Gwynne as Herman Munster.
   • Lane Smith & Bruce McGill are reliable character actors as a DA and sheriff respectively.

5. Male Stars Great 4.0

6. Female Stars Really Great 4.5

7. Female Costars Good 3.0

8. Male Costars Very Good 3.5

10. Film

    Good 3.0

    It’s largely a comedy of mistaken understandings, sometimes sexual, sometimes legal, most of the time cultural. It’s also famous for a somewhat accurate depiction of trial procedure.

11. Direction OK 2.5

12. Play Great 4.0

    Lottsa legendary lines

13. Music Good 3.0

14. Visuals OK 2.5
15. Content

16. Edge

    Risqué 1.9

    The movie couldn’t be made today, trading in stereotypes as it does.

17. Sex Titillating 1.6

18. Violence Fierce 1.8

19. Rudeness Salty 2.4

21. Reality

    Glib 1.6

22. Circumstantial Surreal 2.4

23. Biological Glib 1.5

24. Physical Natural 1.0