#M ANNOTATED TRACE
Here are some of Marisa Tomei (as Mona Lisa Vito)’s most famous, most-quoted lines from My Cousin Vinny—and what’s happening in the story when she says them:
“Oh, yeah. You blend.” (IMDb) Context: Early on in Alabama, Vinny insists he “fits in” better because he’s wearing cowboy boots. Mona Lisa shoots back this perfectly dry, sarcastic one-liner.
“My biological clock is ticking like this…” (Surrey Libraries) Context: In the motel, with the case going badly, she confronts Vinny about his long-standing promise: they’d get married after he won his first case—and time (and stress) are piling up.
“I routinely twist to maximum allowable torquage.” (Movie Sounds) Context: During their legendary motel-room argument about the dripping faucet, she defends herself like she’s on the witness stand—turning a petty fight into mock technical testimony.
“Dead-on balls accurate.” (Movie Sounds) Context: Same faucet “cross-examination.” She escalates the absurdity by insisting the torque wrench was calibrated to be perfectly accurate—making the line an all-timer.
“No, the defense is wrong!” (93.3 WMMR) Context: Vinny is stuck, and she’s looking at key evidence (tire marks/vehicle details). She realizes something doesn’t add up and bluntly calls it—setting up the crucial shift that helps crack the case.
“Chevy didn’t make a 327 in ’55.” (Movie Sounds) Context: On the stand as an expert witness, the prosecutor tries to stump/disqualify her with a car question. She immediately corrects the premise, showing she’s the real deal.
“However, in 1964, the correct ignition timing would be four degrees before top-dead-center.” (Movie Sounds) Context: The mic-drop finish to that same courtroom exchange—she doesn’t just answer, she out-experts the attempt to trap her.
“So, I wore this ridiculous thing for you.” (93.3 WMMR) Context: Part of their running “fish out of water” struggle to look/act acceptable in small-town Alabama—she’s exasperated about changing her look to help Vinny be taken seriously.
If you want, tell me how many you need (like top 5 vs. top 15), and I’ll expand the list with more Mona Lisa classics—but still keep each quote short and paired with the scene context.