If you always want to modify the original array, you could use function prototypes (let the scolding begin!) and use yoink like a builtin. That way, you wouldn't have to keep passing \@arr as a ref like that. However, if you want to keep the original array intact and let yoink return a separate copy with the proper yoinkage, then this is certainly not at all what you want.

sub yoink(\@$) {
    my ($array_ref, $remove) = @_;
    @$array_ref = grep { $_ ne $remove } @$array_ref;
}

my @arr = qw/un deux trois quatre cinq six sept huit/;

# no passing of \@arr -- oh, so pretty!
yoink @arr, 'deux';
print "@arr\n";
__END__

un trois quatre cinq six sept huit
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blokhead