A couple of New York college kids are driving out west when a criminal mix-up at a small-town southern store gets them picked up by the local sheriffs. The two unwittingly confess to murder, and now have to try to navigate Alabama's criminal justice system with the electric chair hanging over their heads.
One of the boys has an attorney in the family who travels from New York to help them out of their predicament. Of course, it's My Cousin Vinny!
This movie is hilarious, and gets extra points for its relative courtroom accuracy. Most criminal lawyers have appeared before a cranky old judge who's a stickler for the rules. Also, it's a well-known belief that an out-of-town attorney is not going to fair as well (with juries or judges) as a local. This fish-out-of-water story captures that beautifully! Finally, the vast difference between law-school law and courtroom law is on full display!
Close runner-up: Liar Liar - less realistic courtroom scenes but hilarious!