Author: linoochie from New Jersey
26 August 2005

Definitely one of my all-time favorite comedies. Well directed, well acted -- priceless comic performances by Pesci, Tomei, Gwynne & Austin Pendleton. And more than comedy -- there's also a lot of genuine pathos and real tension and drama, especially in the final courtroom scene. And I really don't understand the "controversy" or brouhaha over Marisa Tomei receiving the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role in this movie. It's a crackerjack gem of a performance and a stellar comic portrayal. The only thing I can figure is that a lot of snobbery about serious dramatic portrayals somehow being more worthy of honor than great comic performances still very much lives on in much of the film community.

Obstacles

Author: Theo Robertson from Isle Of Bute, Scotland
20 September 2004

A couple of Yankee youths take a trip to the deep south and find themselves being charged for murder . Thankfully one of the youths has a cousin who's a lawyer Did I say thankfully ?

I'm not a big fan of comedies since the premise usually over stays it's welcome by at least half an hour , but screenwriter Dale Launer has crafted a very funny , well paced script that succeeds because of the amount of obstacles for the characters . Lawyer Vincent Gambini is warned by the judge to get a suit , so he gets a suit only to find there's an obstacle in the way . Vincent stays at a hotel , but there's an obstacle in staying there . Every time a character the audience feels for looks like they're going to get a lucky break ( Vincent especially ) another obstacle appears barring their way .

A superlative example of pacing a script . Launer has also written things that at first appear throwaway at the time like eating grits at a diner but then incorperates them into the plot later on . Not only that but Launer has written a script with gags that are both credible and funny , even the skit involving possible sexual abuse in prison ( They'd have to be one of course ) isn't as silly as it could have been The cast are pretty good too with Joe Pesci showing that he's just as good as a comedy leading man as he is at playing Italian American wiseguys .

Let's see you in another movie sometime quick Joe . I'm not sure if Marisa Tomei really deserved her Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role here but if the choice was between her and Vanessa Redgrave I'm glad the Oscar voters made the choice . The only real problem with the casting is that it's impossible to believe the short middle aged Vincent would have a hot leggy girlfriend like Mona in real life . But maybe I'm just jealous ?