History Awesome / MyCousinVinny

'''Vinny:''' So you knew that. Uh, do you remember what ya had?
-->'''Tipton''': Eggs and grits.
-->'''Vinny''': Eggs and grits. I like grits too. How do you cook your grits? You like 'em regular, creamy or al dente?
-->'''Tipton''': Just regular, I guess.
-->'''Vinny''': Regular. Instant grits?
-->'''Tipton''': ''[chuckles]'' No self-respectin’ Southerner uses instant grits. I take pride in my grits.
-->'''Vinny''': ''[Walks over to Jury, as he prepares his [[ArmorPiercingQuestion next question]]]'' So, Mr. Tipton. [[ArmorPiercingQuestion How could it take you]] ''[[ArmorPiercingQuestion five]]'' [[ArmorPiercingQuestion minutes to cook your grits, when it takes the entire grit-eating world]] ''[[ArmorPiercingQuestion twenty]]'' [[ArmorPiercingQuestion minutes?]]
-->''[Tipton falls silent for a moment. Lisa smiles excitedly, and the entire courtroom stares at Tipton apprehensively, realizing Vinny has him stumped]''
-->'''Tipton:''' ''[nervously]'' I dunno. I'm a fast cook, I guess.
-->'''Vinny''': I'm sorry, I was all the way over here. I couldn't hear you. Did you just say you're a fast cook? That's it!? Are we to believe that boiling water soaks into a grit... faster in your kitchen... than on any place on the face of the Earth?
-->'''Tipton''': ''[faltering]'' I don't know.
-->'''Vinny''': Well, perhaps the laws of physics cease to exist on your stove! Were these ''magic'' grits? I mean, did you buy them from the same guy who sold Jack his beanstalk beans!?
-->'''Jim Trotter''': Objection, Your Honor.
-->'''Judge Haller''': Objection sustained. You can ignore the question, Mr. Tipton.
-->'''Vinny''': ''[advancing on Tipton]'' You sure about that five minutes?
-->'''Tipton''': I don't know.
-->'''Vinny''': Are you sure about that five minutes?
-->'''Tipton:''' I don't '''know'''!
-->'''Judge Haller:''' ''[banging his gavel repeatedly]'' I think you made your point.
-->'''Vinny:''' '''ARE YOU SURE ABOUT THAT FIVE MINUTES?'''
-->'''Tipton:''' ''[embarrassed]'' I may have been mistaken.
-->'''Vinny:''' I got no more use for this guy.
-->''[Haller looks shocked by the exchange, while Lisa gives Vinny a proud look, and someone in the public gallery applauds. Stan turns to his public defender]''
-->'''Stan:''' You're fired. ''[gets up and points at Vinny]'' I want him!
** Really, the whole setup and payoff is an extended CMOA. Earlier in the film, we saw Vinny interview each of the 3 eyewitnesses who claimed to identity the defendants leaving the store after the clerk was murdered. Each time, we only hear one question. Each time, it's a [[CaptainObvious stupid-sounding]], [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}}seemingly irrelevant]] question. ("What did you have for breakfast?" "What's that stuff on your window?" "When did you last have those glasses prescribed?") When it comes time for their day in court, Vinny starts off each cross examination with [[ChekhovsGun the same "stupid" question]] we saw him ask earlier...and each time it leads to a brilliant demolishing of the credibility of each eyewitness.

--->'''Vinny:''' Does the Defense's case hold water?\\

** Art/TheMonaLisa besting and kicking the ass of an ''FBI vehicles expert'', and Vinny winning the case against an experienced attorney.

** Mona Lisa besting and kicking the ass of an ''FBI vehicles expert'', and Vinny winning the case against an experienced attorney.
* Also something that's rare in movie trials - even without the tire tracks, Vinny ''had won''. He put so many holes in the prosecution's case, it looked like Swiss cheese. The only reason he's feeling the pressure is because the judge is about to figure out he's lying about his credentials and he needs to get out immediately. Vinny didn't need a SmokingGun, and he found one anyway. That's awesome.

-->'''Vinny''': Is it possible the two defendants entered the store, picked 22 specific items off of the shelves, had the clerk take money, make change, then leave... Then ''two different men'' drive up in a similar - ''[sees Tipton is already shaking his head]'' Don't shake your head. I'm not done yet. Wait till you hear the whole thing so you can understand this now... ''[continues]'' Two ''different men'' drive up in a similar looking car, go in, shoot the clerk, '''rob him''', and then leave?
-->'''Tipton''': No. They didn't have enough time.
-->'''Vinny''': Well, how much time was they in the store?
-->'''Tipton''': Five minutes.
-->'''Vinny''': Five minutes? Are you sure? Did you look at your watch?
-->'''Tipton''': No.
-->'''Vinny''': Oh, oh, oh, I'm sorry. You testified earlier that the boys went into the store, and you had just begun to make breakfast. You were just ready to eat, and you heard a gunshot. That's right. I'm sorry. So obviously, it takes you five minutes to make breakfast.
-->'''Tipton''': That's right.
-->'''Vinny''': So you knew that. Uh, do you remember what ya had?

-->'''Tipton''': ''[nervously]'' I dunno. I'm a fast cook, I guess.

-->'''Tipton''': I don't '''know'''!
-->'''Judge Haller''': ''[banging his gavel repeatedly]'' I think you made your point.
-->'''Vinny''': '''ARE YOU SURE ABOUT THAT FIVE MINUTES?'''
-->'''Tipton''': ''[embarrassed]'' I may have been mistaken.
-->'''Vinny''': I got no more use for this guy.

-->'''Stan''': You're fired. ''[gets up and points at Vinny]'' I want him!

-->'''Vinny''': I'm sorry, I was all the way over here. I couldn't hear you. Did you just say you're a fast cook? That's it!? Are we to believe that boiling water soaks into a grit... faster in your kitchen... than on any place on the face of the Earth!?

-->'''Vinny''': '''ARE YOU SURE ABOUT THAT FIVE MINUTES!?!?'''

----
!! Meta
* Creator/MarisaTomei winning the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, given how rare a feat is it for an actor to do such a thing for a purely comedic performance. Even more impressive given how, unlike some other comedic performances that have won (Kevin Kline for ''Film/AFishCalledWanda'', Alan Arkin for ''Film/LittleMissSunshine''), she was the film's sole nomination.
** Also a bit VindicatedByHistory or HilariousInHindsight, but for years there was talk that Tomei accidentally won because presenter Jack Palance misread the card. The Academy kept insisting that they would have interrupted if the wrong name was read to make sure the actual winner received the Oscar. Flash forward to the 2017 ceremony, when there ''was'' a screw-up with the cards for Best Picture, and they had to interrupt the people for ''Film/LaLaLand'' to let everyone know the real winner was ''{{Film/Moonlight|2016}}''.
* In some law schools, this is the go-to movie for educating law students in how to be lawyers. Heck, this is "So You Want To Be A Lawyer: TheMovie".

*** So did Vinny. Remember that he was the one who asked Sheriff Farley to look into the Tempest.
** Keep in mind that the reason why the sheriff could reveal the arrest of the killers was because Vinny tipped him off right after realizing the significance of the picture. After that is when he gets Lisa, who's still mad at him for rejecting her help, to cooperate by letting her realize the significance of the picture and inevitably show off her impressive knowledge regarding general automotive topics. He's also clever enough to let her assuage her pride by setting it up so she can say he is wrong in open court.

* Marisa Tomei winning the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, given how rare a feat is it for an actor to do such a thing for a purely comedic performance. Even more impressive given how, unlike some other comedic performances that have won (Kevin Kline for ''Film/AFishCalledWanda'', Alan Arkin for ''Film/LittleMissSunshine''), she was the film's sole nomination.

** Also a bit VindicatedByHistory or HilariousInHindsight, but for years there had been talk that Tomei accidentally won because presenter Jack Palance misread the card. The Academy kept insisting that they would have interrupted if the wrong name was read to make sure the actual winner received the Oscar. Flash forward to the 2017 ceremony, when there ''was'' a screw-up with the cards for Best Picture, and they had to interrupt the people for ''Film/LaLaLand'' to let everyone know the real winner was ''Film/Moonlight2016''.

* In some law schools, this is the go-to movie for educating law students in how to be lawyers. Heck, this is "So you want to be a Lawyer: the Movie".

* Marisa Tomei winning the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, given how rare a feat is it for an actor to do such a thing for a purely comedic performance. Even more impressive given how, unlike some other comedic performances that have won ([[Film/AFishCalledWanda Kevin Kline]],[[Film/LittleMissSunshine Alan Arkin]]), she was the film's sole nomination.
** Also a bit VindicatedByHistory or HilariousInHindsight, but for years there had been talk that Tomei accidentally won because presenter Jack Palance misread the card. The Academy kept insisting that they would have interrupted if the wrong name was read to make sure the actual winner received the Oscar. Flash forward to the 2017 ceremonies, when there ''was'' a screw-up with the cards for Best Picture, and they had to interrupt the people for ''Film/LaLaLand'' to let everyone know the real winner was ''Film/Moonlight2016''.

* Marisa Tomei winning the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, given how rare a feat is it for an actor to do such a thing for a purely comedic performance. Even more impressive given how, unlike some other comedic performances that have won (Kevin Kline for [[Film/AFishCalledWanda]], Alan Arkin for [[Film/LittleMissSunshine]]), she was the film's sole nomination.

* Marisa Tomei winning the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, given how rare a feat is it for an actor to do such a thing for a purely comedic performance. Even more impressive given how, unlike some other comedic performances that have won ([[Film/AFishCalledWanda Kevin Kline]], [[Film/LittleMissSunshine Alan Arkin]]), she was the film's sole nomination.

-->'''Vinny''': ''[Walks over to Jury, as he prepares his [[ArmorPiercingQuestion next question]]]'' So, Mr. Tipton. How could it take you ''five'' minutes to cook your grits, when it takes the entire grit-eating world ''twenty'' minutes?

-->'''Vinny:''' Does the Defense's case hold water?\\

-->'''Vinny''': ''[Walks over to Jury, as he prepares his next question]'' So, Mr. Tipton. How could it take you ''five'' minutes to cook your grits, when it takes the entire grit-eating world ''twenty'' minutes?

** Really, the whole setup and payoff is an extended CMOA. Earlier in the film, we saw Vinny interview each of the 3 eyewitnesses who claimed to identity the defendants leaving the store after the clerk was murdered. Each time, we only hear one question. Each time, it's a [[CaptainObvious stupid-sounding]], [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}}seemingly irrelevant]] question. ("What did you have for breakfast?" "What's that stuff on your window?" "When did you last have those glasses prescribed?") When it comes time for their day in court, Vinny starts off each cross examination with [[ChekovsGun the same "stupid" question]] we saw him ask earlier...and each time it leads to a brilliant demolishing of the credibility of each eyewitness.

** Really, the whole setup and payoff is an extended CMOA. Earlier in the film, we saw Vinny interview each of the 3 eyewitnesses who claimed to identity the defendants leaving the store after the clerk was murdered. Each time, we only hear one question. Each time, it's a stupid sounding, seemingly irrelevant question. ("What did you have for breakfast?" "What's that stuff on your window?" "When did you last have those glasses prescribed?") When it comes time for their day in court, Vinny starts off each cross examination with the same "stupid" question we saw him ask earlier...and each time it leads to a brilliant demolishing of the credibility of each eyewitness.

*** Which is one of the ways this movie accurately depicts how lawyers are supposed to act: '''Never ask a question for which you don't already know the answer.''' Look what happened to the Public Defender when he asked why the one witness wasn't wearing his "necessary prescription glasses." "They're reading glasses."