Movie Review: Analyze This By: Ryan Davis Rated R for language and some violence.
Robert De Niro's been in such brilliant films as `The Deer Hunter,' `Taxi Driver,' `GoodFellas,' and `Raging Bull.' He usually portrays cold and apathetic characters that if they show emotion at all, it's rarely, if ever, humorous. While he remains one of the best actors alive, his attempts at comedy haven't always worked, remember Mad Dog and Glory? But more recently he has shown a turnaround, following up the excellent `Wag the Dog' with this, his newest, `Analyze This.' `Analyze This' is from talented writer/director Harold Ramis, the man behind such comedy classics as Animal House, Caddyshack, Ghostbusters, and many more funny films. He employs a great cast and leads Billy Crystal, De Niro, and Lisa Kudrow to unusually good performances for a comedy. The script is not as sharp as it could be, the material has to be stretched out a little too much, but the actors cover well for the faults. The film revolves around Paul Vitti (De Niro), a middle aged mobster who is having trouble dealing with all the stress in his life. He is having a mob war with a rival family headed by Primo Sindone (Chazz Palminteri) which is leading to all this extra stress in his life. Paul begins to have panic attacks, which distract him from his work. Completely by accident Paul bumps into Dr. Ben Sobel (Crystal), a psychiatrist, whom he recruits to be his personal `head doctor.'
While Ben doesn't think this is a good idea, he isn't given much choice in the matter. He becomes an employee of Mr. Vitti's. When Ben goes on vacation to Mimi to get married, Paul packs his bags and follows him to Florida. Ben's fiancée, Laura played nicely by Kudrow, doesn't like the idea of her soon-to- be husband having mob ties. But it's not over yet because Ben is about to get tangled in the middle of a FBI investigation.
`Analyze This' is a fairly original film and while it provides only a few big belly laughs it keeps your smiling and laughing most of the way through. De Niro makes the movie with his overemotional gangster, stealing every scene he's in. But Crystal holds his own with his best performance in recent memory. All in all an entertaining, funny film worth seeing.
Grade: A-
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