Paul Vitti: Robert De Niro
Ben Sobel: Billy Crystal
Jelly: Joe Viterelli
Primo Sindone: Chazz Palminteri
Director: Harold Ramis
Writers: Ken Lonergan, Peter Tolan & Harold Ramis
Cinematography: Stuart Dryburgh |
Faced with a choice between "Meet Joe Black" and "Patch Adams", I decided to take myself off to the pictures on Sunday evening in the hope of finding something a little more exciting to discuss than Brad Pitt sleepwalking across the screen as Death, or Robin Williams playing the clown.
Robert De Niro is an actor to be reckoned with and I enjoyed Billy Crystal in "When Harry Met Sally" and as host of the Oscars so "Analyze This" won the day.
"Analyze This" is a comedy with De Niro playing a mafia don, Paul Vitti, who has suddenly become the victim of anxiety attacks - but don't suggest that to him - he insists they must be heart attacks - we're talking about his image and his manhood here!!! - and who has the courage to disagree with a mafia boss. Crystal, as psychiatrist Dr Ben Sobel, certainly finds it difficult.
Vitti and Sobel are literally brought together by accident. When Vitti decides that Sobel is to be his personal analyst he demands 24 hour a day, 7 day a week service. No excuses, if Vitti's in need Sobel must be there.
All the cliches of the mob as created by Hollywood clash with the cliches of psychiatry, often to very funny effect with each character taking on uncharacteristic approaches to situations - ever heard a mobster tell his arch enemy that he wants to "achieve some closure"? The statement has Vitti's rival as head of the families order his henchmen to get a dictionary so that he can find out what the hell "closure" is and protect himself from such a horrible fate.
This is a film that entertains whilst you are watching it but is unlikely to stay with you. "Analyze This" lacks the emotional depth and drama of "A Prizzi's Honor", or the charm of "Groundhog Day", Ramis's previous hit, but there are many funny one-off lines, some great clowning from Crystal and there's De Niro.
The film has just massacred its rivals at the US Box Office, so at least I made a popular choice.
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