My Cousin Vinny Essay
Jonathan Lynn’s film My Cousin Vinny (1992) follows the journey of an amateur New York lawyer as he takes on his first murder case. Although the inexperienced lawyer has yet to win any cases considering it took him six tries to pass the New York Bar exam, he is determined to win the case. The plot follows the main protagonist, Vincent (Vinny) LaGuardia Gambini, and the development of his legal analysis through the murder case he assigns himself after his younger cousin and his friend, Bill Gambini, and Stan Rothenstein are falsely convicted in the state of Alabama after they mistakenly confess to first-degree murder and accessory. Throughout My Cousin Vinny, irony and comedy portray Jonathan Lynn’s rendition of legal proceedings and the fragility …show more content…
For instance, when two college students, Bill and Stan, are mistakenly arrested for the murder of a store clerk, the police officer on the scene fails to read them their Miranda Rights, a mandatory requirement during an arrest. This immediate occurrence in the film introduces the notion that Lynn is ironically illustrating the delicacy of the criminal justice system, showing that it is not as impartial and righteous as it claims to be. Vinny's lack of knowledge of judicial procedures and professional decorum further emphasizes Lynn's commentary on the American court system. During court, Vinny lies to Judge Chamberlain Heiler that he has credible courtroom experience and blatantly disrespects him, which results in the judge holding him in contempt of court. Moreover, Vinny fails during …show more content…
The primary goal of the court system is to uphold the fundamental individual rights of all members of society, which includes providing those who violate the law with a fair trial. A pivotal scene in My Cousin Vinny is when the prosecutor, Jim Trotter III, makes preliminary remarks to the jury. Throughout the film, Trotter does not characterize himself as an antagonizing prosecutor with personal biases toward Vinny. Instead, he only aims to lock away two teenagers he believes murdered an innocent store clerk. During Trotter’s preliminary remarks, he makes it known that the jury will make the final decision on the case of Bill and Stan, showing that he has no ulterior motive to manipulate their decisions but only to provide evidence. This scene demonstrates one of the court system's greatest strengths: upholding an unwavering commitment to justice and maintaining law and
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