MICKEY BLUE EYES ***1/2 (out of five stars) A review by Jamey Hughton
Starring-Hugh Grant, James Caan, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Burt Young, Joe Viterelli and James Fox Director-Kelly Makin Rated PG
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With the huge early summer hit Notting Hill under their belts, both Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts are trying to duplicate that success with another round of romance this season. Roberts teamed up again with Richard Gere for the altar comedy Runaway Bride, and now Grant is trying his hand at the Mafia spoof Mickey Blue Eyes. Despite coming so soon after Analyze This, the Englishman uses his naive charm and manages to fuel this predictable but cute comedy simply by using his puppy dog eyes.
You know the look. Grant has used it to his advantage ever since Four Weddings and a Funeral. It's this `I'm in over my head / I can't believe I'm doing this' expression that coats Mickey Blue Eyes with an appealing, totally charming glaze. I don't know, someday maybe it will get old. But for now, his innocent looks and actions perfectly suit comedy vehicles such as this.
Grant plays Michael Felgate, an art auctioneer who's about to get in over his head. Michael is hopelessly in love with a pretty school-teacher named Gina Vitale (Jeanne Tripplehorn), and after some complications involving a botched fortune cookie message, he asks for her hand in marriage. Gina backs out immediately to Michael's confusion, and afterward when he confronts her, she explains: `I can't marry you because of my father'. As it turns out, Frank Vitale (James Caan) is an influential figure in the mob. Gina wants to avoid any involvement Michael could have with the rest of the `family'.
While I won't deny that Mickey Blue Eyes is consistently amusing, it doesn't have the great comedic tag team of Robert DeNiro and Billy Crystal that gave Analyze This it's extra juice. However, casting remains a bright spot. Grant, although displaying marginal range, is delightful in the vital role of Michael. When he's forced to create an alter ego his mob ties, the character of Mickey Blue Eyes is concocted. Seeing Grant attempt to speak Mafia jargon (`No R's,' advises Frank. `And replace the T's with D's') is truly hilarious. James Caan makes for a worthy adversary, and although he is not the perfect choice for the role, his veteran craftsmanship (gained from The Godfather) helps a great deal. The only tiny loose end is Tripplehorn, who plays her role too aggressively to be likable. Although admittedly attractive, Tripplehorn lacks the vibrance and charisma needed to fill the shoes of Gina.
The supporting cast is full of familiar faces that generally populate mob movies. Burt Young is dignified and effective as Uncle Vito, the head of the family, but there is never any humor explored in his character. Joe Viterelli (hilarious as the bodyguard in Analyze This) has a similar role as Vinnie. But again, his character is played far too straight - particularly when considering what a successful stretch he had in the previous film. The remainder of the cast is made up of a troupe of gangster types you would expect.
Director Kelly Makin (Kids in the Hall) often takes the easy route for the humor, but the accomplished stars only make it funnier. There are lots of double-crosses and plot twists towards the end - mainly involving the FBI at a final wedding ceremony - but most are entirely predictable. Still, this is pretty funny stuff. The script is fast and efficient enough to make us forget certain character problems, and the gags are often expertly polished. It's not like we haven't seen this material before, but the charm and overall appeal of the actors is difficult to resist.
How does this stack up with Analyze This? Well, basically the same, except for one small detail: Mickey Blue Eyes is probably better equipped with more crowd-pleasing moments. And Grant and Caan nicely compensate for the loss of DeNiro and Crystal - mostly a fair comparison, if you ask me.
(C) 1999, Jamey Hughton
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