Watched this movie for the first time in 2021. I have heard the title a few times since the 90's but never got to see it before. I give it 4 points as it gives you an eye into what was considered funny in the late 80's (early 90's). I'm pretty sure 1992 me would had enjoyed the movie a lot and this is like a museum piece of something that today is outdated. It has a lot of the structure and gags of that era. And I don't hate everything from the 90's movies, I still enjoy some comedies and for court dramas John Grisham movies are still very watchable, these rely on clever underdogs and this ages better.
But in 2021 the movie looks like a sort of train wreck. It is hard to watch as most of the fun is connected to having a stereotypical view of the south that looks kind of bigoted in 2021 (even in 2010 maybe). The characters are too exaggerated and you have to have the mind of a teenager to think they represent real people in a real situation. The problem is that even taken as a cartoonish tale it does not make sense as you know how you were supposed to think about the characters being around in 1992. I was supposed to find Pesci charming and funny because he does not have those rigid values of those Alabama folks, but he looks like a total idiot and if he wins at the end is because of the miracle of 80's scriptwriting.
The movie tries to play as a hopeful, goofy movie where the main character is able to overcome big obstacles and impossible odds. But you kind of know as an adult that the man was probably a loser all the time. It also has the drama of a conspiracy in a corrupt south that is kind of out of place for a humor movie, it may had made some sense if the corruption could not be taken seriously. But even though it is obvious there is some conspiracy going on, after like 30 min anyway - in the beginning it is not clear if this is a comedy of errors, it is hard to side with Cousin Vinny. You know in real life if this was a real thing, it would be a tragedy. In 1992 maybe I would fall for street smart Italian-American, full of confidence under achiever. So I would definitely recommend this movie to 1992 me, he would had enjoyed the heck out of it!
Part of the comedy relies on Pesci being totally unaware of how out of place he is, but with 2021 glasses only a mentally handicapped character would not be aware of how he was out of place and how bad was his appearance and demeanor in the court. And the seriousness of the case does not match. The script is kind of a train wreck in what genre this is supposed to fall.
As other people has commented is not even clear why Marisa Tomei was able to get an Oscar for this performance. 1992 me would have enjoyed it as Tomei was eye candy by 90's standards (I wanted to marry her in Anger Management), but the character is just too simple by today's standards.
Adding this so anyone that finds the movie similarly dissapointing by 2021 does not think he watched a different movie that the ones that give it 10 and pretend this is a comedy that makes you laugh from beginning to end and leaves you uplifted.
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