Analyze This
Official Warner Brothers Site

Starring: Robert De Niro, Billy Crystal, Lisa Kudrow,
Joe Viterelli, Chazz Palminteri
Category: Comedy
Rating: R
Released: 1999
Available for rental.

Analyze This is without doubt the best movie I've seen on the big or small screens since The Sixth Sense. Instead of beating you over the head with farce, this one takes the road less taken. Maybe it was Robert De Niro, whose teary breakdown was just rusty enough to be real. Or Billy Crystal, whose nervous sidling was just the safe side of believable. Or maybe it was the writers, whose witty screenplay refused to be self-aware.

Whatever the cause, Analyze This worked. De Niro plays mob boss Paul Vitti, a role that has to be as familiar to him as breathing. Pauly's got problems not typical of De Niro's usual character, though. With more depth than your average made man, Vitti loses what Austin Powers would call his "mojo." An unfortunate rear-ender puts Vitti in touch with Dr. Ben Sobol, played by Crystal. The good doctor, a suburban psychiatrist, is severely unprepared to being on call 24-7 for a mercurial mafioso like De Niro.


Lisa Kudrow is slightly toned-down from her Friends' Phoebe, playing Laura, a Miami television reporter giving it up to marry Dr. Sobol. Kudrow's Phoebe tics are apparent only when her character gets mad, which luckily isn't as often as one would think - given that her goal is to get through a wedding without a visit from Vitti's right-hand man Jelly, played by Joe Viterelli. The competing mob boss is played by Chazz Palminteri.


Analyze This is a smart comedy, a rare phenomenon. My favorite scene was the shootout - watch for it. There are a few from which to choose, but you'll know the one I mean. It's a toss up whether to laugh at the unusual chemistry between Crystal and De Niro - or duck for cover along with them. Analyze this is rated R for language, violence, and adult themes.

Two thumbs up!