Movie Review:
'Analyze This' diagnoses laughs
Campus Times
March 12, 1999
by Nune Gazdhyan
Assistant Features Editor
Tough-guy, macho mob boss Paul Vitti (Robert De Niro) has a problem,
but this time, he cannot have it "taken care of."
"Analyze This," directed by Harold Ramis ("Ghostbusters"),
rated-R for language, sexuality and violence, hit theaters Friday March
5. This film offers the viewer a sneak-peek into the soft-side of a mob
boss' life, while it keeps the laughs coming until the end.
Aside from having to deal with emerging Chinese and Russian mobsters,
Vitti is also faced with anxiety attacks and heart palpitations. As if that
is not enough he is also suffering from moral dilemmas when it comes to
violence or cheating on his wife with his mistress.
It appears that Vitti's criminal life is really affecting him and he
admits that he needs to talk to someone-a shrink. Of course, to keep his
machoness from being scarred he says that he needs "a head doctor for
his friend."
By chance or by luck, one of his underlings gets his car ran over by
Ben Sobel (Billy Crystal), a divorced New York psychiatrist living alone
with his son (Kyle Sabihy) (Who always sticks his nose into his father's
business). Sobel leaves his card with the underling for insurance purposes.
The underling remembers about the card and Sobel gets much more than
an insurance claim as he is given two weeks to cure Vitti's "problem"
so that he can attend the modern-day version of the 1957 mob "summit"
without appearing weak in front of his "enemies".
Sobel is not the only psychiatrist in the family. There is also Sobel
senior (Bill Macey), who makes life harder for his son. He is a far more
respected psychiatrist and has a best-selling book.
The only "bright light" in Sobel's life is Laura MacNamara
(Lisa Kudrow). This is Sobel's fiancee.
Sobel's life is put on hold when Vitti walks into it. The rules of psychiatry
change and Sobel is no longer the decision-maker.
He quickly learns that he can never say no to Vitti, and if Vitti wants
him to be his shrink then he will be the shrink. Vitti even offers to "clear
Sobel's calendar" when Sobel tries to get out of servicing Vitti with
the excuse that he does not have the time. Also, providing services to the
mob boss means that Sobel is on call 24 hours a day, rain or shine.
De Niro's brilliant portrayal of a mobster gone soft creates a heaven
for laughs. Having "played" mobsters in various films over the
years from "The Godfather II" to Goodfellas, he is able to take
the role and really make the character, Vitti, a feast for mockery, with
his sudden crying fits and impotence.
The shrink, Crystal, also does a convincing job of portraying his character.
At times he may appear a bit bland, but do not mistake him for "lame."
There are plenty of scenes in which Crystal is funny or at least funny-looking.
As for Kudrow's role as the bride-to-be, it is really hard to see her
in a serious role, she will always be Phoebe from "Friends." It
was really hard to see her, especially her voice, as a reporter.
De Niro alone makes "Analyze This" a blast. This is one movie
that cannot be taken seriously, but will offer to the viewer a different
aspect of a mobster's life in which problems cannot be "bumped off."
