Shakespeare with a Laptop
There are movies you admire because they’re clever. There are movies you admire because they’re beautifully made. And then there are movies that remind you of something you were in danger of forgetting. That was My Cousin Vinny for me.
On the surface, it’s a courtroom comedy. It’s funny, ridiculous, endlessly quotable, and somehow manages to make tire tracks and grits entertaining. I expected to laugh. I didn’t expect it to remind me what kind of love I actually want.
Watching Vinny and Mona Lisa Vito together felt.. comforting. They tease each other. They annoy each other. They also trust each other completely.
Mona Lisa never spends the movie trying to turn Vinny into someone else. She doesn’t wish he were wealthier, smoother, more polished, or more impressive. She loves the man standing in front of her.
Vinny does the same. He never treats her like she’s just along for the ride. When the case reaches the point where her knowledge is exactly what’s needed, he steps aside and lets her shine. He knows she’s brilliant, and he isn’t threatened by it. He’s proud of her.
That’s one of the most attractive things I’ve ever seen in a relationship. Neither of them is perfect. Together, though, they fit.
Watching them also reminded me of something I’ve been hearing for years that has never sat right with me.
People love giving advice about power.
“You’re supposed to be with someone who loves you more.”
“Don’t care too much.”
“Don’t text first.”
“Don’t seem too interested.”
“Always keep the upper hand.”
Somewhere along the way, people started treating love like a negotiation instead of a relationship.
I’ve never understood it. If I love someone, I don’t want to win. I want both of us to feel lucky.
I always think about those old movies where two people are saying goodnight on the phone.
“I love you.”
“I love you more.”
“No, I love you more.”
They keep arguing because neither one wants to hang up.
Maybe it’s idealistic. Maybe it’s old-fashioned. I don’t care. I’d rather have two people competing over who gets to love the other more than two people competing over who has more power. That feels much closer to love.
Watching My Cousin Vinny also reminded me that I don’t need someone who’s flawless. I don’t need the most handsome man in the room. I don’t need someone who impresses everyone else.
I want someone I genuinely enjoy being with. Someone I respect and respects me. Someone whose company feels like home. Someone I can curl up beside after an ordinary day and think,
“I’m exactly where I want to be.”
That’s the part of the movie that stayed with me. Not the courtroom or the jokes. Not even Mona Lisa’s iconic testimony.
It was the way they looked at each other. The way they stood beside each other. The feeling that they had already chosen each other, completely.
A note to future Karny.
If you’re reading this years from now, maybe you’ve met someone. Maybe you haven’t. Either way, don’t forget what this movie reminded you.
You were never looking for perfection. You were looking for peace. For respect. For genuine compatibility. For someone who feels like home.
Don’t let pressure rush you. Don’t let loneliness convince you to settle. Don’t let other people’s ideas about love become your own.
You made yourself a promise tonight. If it isn’t this kind of love, you’d rather wait.