Two New Yorkers, Billy Gambini and Stan Rothenstein, embark on a road trip through Alabama. Their journey takes a terrifying turn when they are arrested for a murder they didn't commit, mistaken for the real killers due to circumstantial evidence. As college students far from home, they're plunged into a legal quagmire, facing the grim prospect of a death sentence in a state where they have no connections, and seemingly no hope.

In a desperate bid for competent legal representation, Billy turns to his cousin Vinny Gambini, a brash, inexperienced lawyer who has recently passed the bar exam after several attempts. Despite Vinny's lack of trial experience, particularly in a murder case, and his unfamiliarity with Alabama's courtroom procedures, he agrees to defend his cousin and friend. With his fiancée, Mona Lisa Vito, who possesses an unexpectedly relevant expertise, Vinny navigates the complexities of the legal system, combating both his own inexperience and the skepticism of the stern Judge Chamberlain Haller. As the trial progresses, Vinny's unconventional methods and tenacious spirit come to the forefront in this fish-out-of-water tale, where perseverance and unexpected talents play a critical role in the quest for justice.