Analyze This (*** out of four) Starring Billy Crystal, Robert De Niro, Joe Viterelli and Lisa Kudrow Directed by Harold Ramis. Written by Ken Lonergan (story) and Peter Tola
Analyze This is living proof that stereotypes can be amusing in film. Every character in the movie each mobster, a psychiatrist and his fiance, the psychiatrists son and parents, the fianceıs parents, all of them are pure stereotypes. Yet the movie can be at times funny and is overall a good film worth renting. Audiences know the mob by the movies we watch, not by the truth of who they are. Analyze This is fun because it takes pleasure in the stereotypes that past mob films have created.
For the five of you who havenıt seen it, Robert De Niro is a mob boss who realizes he has a few psychological problems and is having anxiety attacks. He seeks out a therapist, Crystal, to help him deal with his problems. Crystal is hesitant at first, but De Niro is persuasive (in a manner of speaking - persuasive as only a mafia movie character can be, for example, he throws Crystal in a shark tank) and Crystal ends up becoming more involved with De Niro and his organization than he wants to be. Of course, Crystal has issues of his own to work out and learns to deal with them when De Niroıs mafia-matter-a-factness begins rubbing off on Crystal. A side plot features Crystal getting married while treating De Niro.
Everything in this movie is predictable, yet for some reason I was never bored or felt cheated. I guess itıs hard to find a comedy that finds ways to make people laugh without being mean. Are the stereotypes mean? No, because making fun of an organization that professionally kills people is, for some reason, okay.
I imagine that the idea must have come to the writers, while they were sitting on their therapistıs couch, that it would a funny if a mob member went to therapy to work out personal issues. Amazing that a single idea can create two hours worth of movie. To write the script and come up with the dialogue, the writers must have sat down and watched every mob movie they could get their hands on and read Mario Puzoıs ³The Last Don² six or seven times. De Niroıs mafia boss is the epitome of all of the Godfathers and Goodfellas scrunched into a character. He speaks in cliche (When he interrupts a party thrown by Crystal ³Hey, whyıs you gotta be mean, Iım being nice here,² when ) and always aware that heıs supposed to be a mob boss. He plays it like he knows heıs acting.
I doubt they researched by actually talking to mob members. That would have taken too much time, and besides, this isnıt the kind of movie that requires that type of research. They use the stereotypes of movies past to their advantage. Mobsters seem to say ³Fuhgetaboutit² a lot (see Johnny Brasco), so they have De Niro say it ten times. Mobsters seem to make a point of eating in dimly lit, crunched up Italian restaurants, so they put a crucial scene in there (even paying tribute to the Godfather during a bathroom scene, or maybe it was a tribute to Austin Powers). Mobsters also beat up and threaten whomever they please, whenever they please. When Mobsters have a meetings, they like to do it at a warehouse out in the middle of nowhere, that seems specifically constructed to have Mobster meetings. And of course, the police are a bunch of idiots, always coming in two minutes too late to catch the mobsters. All of this does get a little tiresome, but the actors bring such energy and timing to the material, that it can be forgiven.
Joe Viterelli did such a stand out job playing De Niroıs faithful bodyguard Jelly that it would be a shame if he didnıt receive mention for an supporting Oscar nomination. Lisa Kudrow, as Crystalıs fiance, is wasted here, but at least sheıs pretty to look at. Also, Crystalıs son seems like a wasted opportunity.
It seems like Iım picking out whatıs wrong with Analyze This, but in truth there are genuinely clever moments, such as Crystal trying to convince De Niro to stop crying and fight back during a shoot out. However, Analyze This isnıt laugh-out-loud funny. Itıs a blend of violence and humor, that skates along black comedy at times or farce the next. Itıs a movie made by veteran actors and producers that have their timing down and have stretched out a small idea into a two hour popcorn movie.
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