My Cousin Vinny: Overrated Courtroom Antics or Something More?

Okay, prepare for some blasphemy. I'm about to wade into the sacred territory of 'My Cousin Vinny' fandom. Look, I get it. Joe Pesci is great, Marisa Tomei is… well, Marisa Tomei. But hear me out: is this movie really all that great? Or are we just blinded by nostalgia and the sheer joy of watching city folk fumble around in the South? I'm leaning towards the latter. The whole premise hinges on such massive incompetence from the cops that it stretches believability to the breaking point. And sure, Vinny's a fish out of water, but his complete lack of preparation in the opening courtroom scene? Come on! It's played for laughs, and I chuckled, I admit it, but it fundamentally undermines his credibility as a lawyer, even a newbie. I mean, you're on trial for murder! Throwing a freaking binder on the table and saying 'uh...objection'? Really? Now, before you light your torches, I'm not saying it's bad. It's entertaining. Tomei's Oscar win is well-deserved, if perhaps a bit of a surprise given the competition that year. But I think the film's enduring appeal has more to do with its comfort-food status. It's a familiar story of the little guy sticking it to the man (or, in this case, the small-town sheriff), with a healthy dose of culture clash humor. The scene where Vinny ruins the tires trying to parallel park is legitimately funny and perfectly captures that feeling. But let's be honest, a lot of it is just…okay. Maybe I'm just a miserable cynic, but I think 'My Cousin Vinny' is less a legal comedy genius and more a perfectly adequate, slightly above-average movie that benefited from perfect casting and a whole lotta hype. Discuss. And try not to get too offended... I might be wrong!