Overview
A New York lawyer takes on a small-town murder case with hilarious consequences.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- witty
- irreverent
- warm
- lazy sunday
- comfort viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film a sharp, hilarious courtroom comedy elevated by the deft comic interplay between Joe Pesci and Marisa Tomei despite a predictable script.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Vinny's informal questioning style gradually exposes weaknesses in the prosecution's witnesses and assumptions.
Vinny's Brooklyn manner, inexperience, and confidence collide with Alabama courtroom decorum and Judge Haller's expectations.
Two New Yorkers confront suspicion and unfamiliar social codes in a small Alabama community.
Mona Lisa Vito's automotive knowledge proves unexpectedly important to the defense.
Films like My Cousin Vinny, and why
Legally Blonde
Shared courtroom comedy, outsider defense lawyer, escalating legal pressure, and sharp comic dialogue.
The Verdict
Shared trial-film structure, wrongful accusation, courtroom suspense, and socially observant comedy.
Doc Hollywood
Shared fish-out-of-water humor, eccentric protagonists, regional culture clash, and warm comic tone.
A Few Good Men
Shared ensemble courtroom comedy, procedural reversals, and entertaining clashes between lawyers and authority figures.
Movie Details
- Director
- Jonathan Lynn
- Release Date
- 1992-03-13
- Runtime
- 119 min
- Rating
- 7.5 / 10 (1987)
Cast
- Ralph Macchio
- Joe Pesci
- Marisa Tomei
- Mitchell Whitfield
- Fred Gwynne
- Lane Smith
- Austin Pendleton
- Bruce McGill
- Maury Chaykin
- Paulene Myers
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, YouTube TV, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is My Cousin Vinny about?
- An inexperienced Brooklyn lawyer and his fiercely outspoken fiancée turn a wrongful murder conviction into a riotous Alabama courtroom battle.
- What is My Cousin Vinny like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of My Cousin Vinny as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is My Cousin Vinny violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in My Cousin Vinny as mild.
- What did critics think of My Cousin Vinny?
- Critics broadly found the film a sharp, hilarious courtroom comedy elevated by the deft comic interplay between Joe Pesci and Marisa Tomei despite a predictable script.
- Which films are like My Cousin Vinny?
- Films with a similar feel include Legally Blonde, The Verdict, Doc Hollywood, and A Few Good Men.
- How long is My Cousin Vinny?
- My Cousin Vinny runs 119 minutes.
- Where can I watch My Cousin Vinny?
- In United States, My Cousin Vinny streams on fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, YouTube TV, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel.
