My Cousin Vinny Essay

Growing up, I have seen My Cousin Vinny on a few different occasions. This time, watching the film while learning about business law gave me a new perspective on the film and its implications on the American legal system. One of the main concepts that stuck out to me was that Vinny was able to transform from a seemingly unsuccessful law school graduate into a case-winning lawyer. At the beginning of the film, I, much like the characters in the film, doubted Vinny’s abilities to represent Bill and Stan. As the film progressed and I was able to see Vinny gain confidence, composure, and analytical skills, I realized that everything in life takes practice, including law. Expecting Vinny to approach the bench for the first time with complete confidence …show more content…
Although I would expect for some drama or potential outbursts to occur during a case, I find that television often dramatizes these effects to make the scenes more interesting. Because of the fact that My Cousin Vinny does not portray a wildly incorrect image of the courtroom setting, I found myself better able to focus on the arguments and procedures within the case. Witnessing a cross-examination work in favor of the defendant as in the grits scene showed me a more realistic version of a witness faltering than most other courtroom depictions. Through this cross-examination, Vinny is able to discredit the witness and help his own case, showing how pivotal witnesses can be in a case. While I believed key witnesses were important prior to watching the film, I know realize how instrumental they really can be in the decision of a case. With this in mind, I also better understand why dispositions can be so important, as it gives a lawyer time and information to analyze in order to determine the best course of action when in the courtroom. Watching My Cousin Vinny as a business law student gave me a new perspective about the progression of a case and the significance of