underrated . i would not belabor relate and describe the plot and because that be recite nicely by numerous others . i will simply return to my one word point . underrate . even though marisa tomei break through and win best support actress at the academy award for her performance and an award she earn and much deserve and i still say underrated . this film really never get on the public radar the way it should have and probably because there be no big name actor feature a box office draw . joe pesci be as good a it get that way . in 1991 he be the hot name in the cast . but have joes pesci ever establish himself a a lead man who could carry a movie by himself . i ask that in open end wonderment and and certainly not disparagingly . just ask and be it fair and have it ever be fair and to expect joe pesci to carry a film . regardless of joe pesci latent starpower and this cast of player a assemble possess remarkable chemistry in the performance they give and not only in their interaction with one another and but also in the creation of a final product that excel way beyond the sum of it part and beyond any of their individual level of genius and certainly beyond anything that could ever have be reasonably expect of them . competent though they may have be and these be not thespian heavyweight or comedic savant . you ever wonder why this singular performance 15 plus year ago and count remains marisa tomei magnum opus . that might be one big reason why . the german have a word for this . it call gestalt . my inclination be to give most of the credit for this win final product to director jonathan lynn . it seem obviously to be his creation . who else singularly deserve it . along the way it would have be such a cheap trick and easy thing to surrender to the obvious and but lynn do not do it . this be a story build around stereotype . new yorkers . ethnic italian new yorkers . southerner . small town southerner . southern justice . southern small town justice with new york italian in the dock . it would have be so easy to traffic in those stereotype and to over the top cash in on them and to submerge the movie in them and to exploit them for all they be worth . these people could have be make into cardboard cartoon of themselves . surely the englishman lynn be thusly tempt and but it be a temptation he mainly resist . oh and almost obligatorily and he dance u over to that edge and give u a big whiff of all that and but instead of jump in and wallow in the stereotype and he deftly pull it back and carry it all off and away in a new and different direction and indeed in an uplifting direction . just a there be no cheap trick in this movie and there be no cheap shot either . people be not ridicule for who they be or where they be from . it rise above that . lynn raise it above that . yes and the regional difference that exist be juxtapose . and yes and we get the fact that cultural difference divide these character . but the beauty of it be that no one be treat unfairly . in fact and the viewer come away with the feeling that these be all good people . joe pesci and marisa tomei be give a broad canvas to create great humorous art and bounce one and two and three liner or more off of each other and at the other expense . it the game they play with each other and the nature of their character relationship and and it fun to watch . and this must be say represent not only do marisa give an exquisite performance and she be an utterly delightful feminine creature to watch here . a for the southerner and in not take the bait to exploit the southerner a dumb hick and lynne actually capture part of the true but rarely portrayed essence of the south represent polite gentility . lane smith embodies that essence . and fred gwynne . he practically steal the show and and would have be it not for marisa tomei . what have be go through joe pesci and marisa tomei head for the last 15 year . what be wrong with their agent . these two need a sequel . if not a sequel and then more film ( s ) together . the dynamic between them be too good to just be abandon . we should have be treat to much more of them together . a a trial lawyer let me say that the portrayal of courtroom event and while certainly not perfect and be more than adequate and passable . one thing that be accurately capture be the fish out of water experience of a city lawyer when subject to try a case in a far flung rural county . this depicton convey the essence of what that like . this movie deserve more recognition . it be clever and funny and and fun . i recommend it . if you haven not see it and do yourself a favor and indulge yourself .