My Cousin Vinny is a 1992 (1992 in film) American comedy film written by Dale Launer, and directed by Jonathan Lynn, starring Joe Pesci, Ralph Macchio and Marisa Tomei, and featuring Fred Gwynne in his final role. The film deals with two young New Yorkers traveling through rural Alabama who are put on trial for a murder they did not commit, and the comic attempts of a cousin, Vincent Gambini, a newly minted lawyer, to defend them.

Much of the humor comes from the contrasting personalities of the brash Italian American Vinny and his fiancee Mona Lisa, and the more somber Southern townspeople. Pesci and Tomei received vast critical praise for their performances, and Tomei won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Additionally, Fred Gwynne, who had long been typecast due to his role as Herman Munster in the television show The Munsters, received critical acclaim for his performance as Judge Chamberlain Haller. Sadly, he was unable to benefit from his newfound respect, as he developed pancreatic cancer shortly after filming wrapped and died the following year.

The cast also included Mitchell Whitfield, Lane Smith and Bruce McGill.

Despite being a comedy, the film also touches on some rather serious subjects such as perjury, contempt of court, mistrials and bias.

In the August 2008 edition of the American Bar Association Journal, My Cousin Vinny was rated #3 in their cover story listing of "The 25 Greatest Legal Movies", after To Kill a Mockingbird (To Kill a Mockingbird (film)) and 12 Angry Men (12 Angry Men (1957 film)).