Directed by:
Harold RamisCinematography:
Stuart DryburghComposer:
Howard ShoreCast:
Robert De Niro, Billy Crystal, Lisa Kudrow, Chazz Palminteri, Joe Viterelli, Molly Shannon, Bill Macy, Leo Rossi, Neil Pepe, Jimmie Ray Weeks, Bob Cea (more)VOD (1)
Plots(1)
Mob boss Paul Vitti (Robert De Niro) is having heart attacks. At least that's what he thinks. When his doctors inform him that he is suffering from anxiety attacks, he is forced to track down a shrink to help him get to the bottom of the problem. Billy Crystal costars as neurotic psychiatrist Ben Sobol, who is manipulated into treating the macho Mafia man, with hysterical results. Just as Ben and eager fiancée (Lisa Kudrow) are about to enter nuptial bliss, they are suddenly faced with a 24-hour responsibility to a mobster who won't take no for an answer. The hilarious hijinks ruin their first wedding and threaten to ruin the relationship as Paul battles his personal demons with the help of the initially unwilling shrink. As the two men's professional and private worlds collide, they are forced to realize their similarities as they join forces to battle the FBI and the impending threat of a Mafia takeover. (official distributor synopsis)
(more)Reviews (5)
The story of a mentally unstable mobster is indeed entertaining, especially when portrayed by someone highly capable who expertly parodies their most famous film characters. Yet what is original and incredibly entertaining in the first half, including the confession scene in the Miami bar that had me in tears of laughter, unfortunately takes a turn in the second half due to the director's handling of it. It becomes a disjointed mix of the aforementioned ingredients from the first half, mixed with a subplot about gangster rivalries and FBI agents. The originality of the plot goes down the drain, and the whole film starts to fall apart for director Ramis. The final session is jarring and the previously respectable Billy Crystal starts to overplay his role excessively. It’s a shame about the missed opportunity.
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It’s been a long time since I’ve last seen Analyze This for the first time and I wasn’t able to get the movie’s humor then. I must’ve been too young. But after many years, I watched it again and it all felt much better this time. By the way, Robert De Niro was outright born to play a Mafioso. Just his name alone speaks for itself.
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Billy Crystal in the role of a neurotic psychiatrist who finds himself having to treat mafia boss played by Robert De Niro. This in itself is a combination that, with well-written dialogs, can’t help but work. And that’s just what happened, some scenes and lots of chiseled dialogs make this into an outrageously funny movie with outstanding acting performances. The whole thing is supported by the director who has a gift for comic timing. Simply all pluses and no shortcomings of any importance.
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Robert De Niro is paradoxically (although understandably) strongest in the least comedic moments, where his captivating gestures and expressions remind us of his successful performances as tough mobsters and gangsters throughout several decades. Some jokes in this relatively solid comedy succeed (fuckin' Greeks), while others do not (De Niro cryubg). Many scenes feel unnecessary and the pace is also quite uneven, but fortunately, the running time is relatively short, and everything ends quicker than you can say the word boredom. A simple, yet quite entertaining variation of tough guys in a comedic package.
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It's all fresh, funny, with great performances and imaginative direction and script. It's true that towards the end the director seems to lose the thread and the plot wasn't finished perfectly, but when I think of the brilliant conversations between De Niro as a mentally unstable mobster and a Billy Crystal unwillingly involved in the mafia underworld, I immediately get a smile on my face and I'm happy to turn a blind eye.
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