Contents



New York's most powerful gangster is about to get in touch with his feelings. _YOU_ try telling him his 50 minutes are up.

1999




Analyze This (1999)  

Directed by 
Harold Ramis    
  
Writing credits (in credits order) 
Ken Lonergan   (story) and 
Peter Tolan   (story) 

 
Peter Tolan   and 
Harold Ramis   and 
Ken Lonergan    
  
Cast (in credits order) 
Robert De Niro ....  Paul Vitti  
Billy Crystal ....  Ben Sobel  
Lisa Kudrow ....  Laura MacNamara  
Joe Viterelli ....  Jelly  
Chazz Palminteri ....  Primo Sindone  
Bill Macy ....  Isaac Sobel  
Leo Rossi (II) ....  Carlo Mangano  
Kyle Sabihy ....  Michael Sobel  
Rebecca Schull ....  Dorothy Sobel  
Molly Shannon ....  Caroline  
Max Casella ....  Nicky Shivers  
Pat Cooper ....  Salvatore Masiello  
Richard C. Castellano ....  Jimmy  
Jimmie Ray Weeks ....  FBI Agent Steadman  
Elizabeth Bracco ....  Marie Vitti  
Tony Darrow ....  Moony  
Donna-Marie Recco ....  Sheila  
Dave Corey ....  Bodyguard  
New York Joe Catalfumo ....  The Unknown Mobster  
Tony Bennett ....  Himself  
rest of cast listed alphabetically  
Pasquale Cajano ....  Mobster  
Judith Kahan ....  Patient with Kinky Husband  
Aasif Mandvi ....  E.R. Doctor  
Ted Neustadt ....  Rabbi  
Joseph Rigano ....  Manetta  
Anthony Russo (I) ....  Mafia Bodyguard  
  
Produced by 
Len Amato   (co-producer)  
Bruce Berman   (executive)  
Chris Brigham   (executive)  
Billy Crystal   (executive)  
Suzanne Herrington   (associate)  
Jane Rosenthal    
Paula Weinstein    
  
Original music by 
Howard Shore    
  
Cinematography by 
Stuart Dryburgh    
  
Film Editing by 
Christopher Tellefsen    
  
Casting 
Ellen Chenoweth    
Laura Rosenthal    
  
Production Design by 
Wynn Thomas    
  
Art Direction 
Jefferson Sage    
  
Set Decoration 
Leslie E. Rollins    
  
Costume Design by 
Aude Bronson-Howard    
  
Make-up Department 
Jay Cannistraci ....  key make-up artist: Miami (uncredited) 
  
Production Management 
Scott Hornbacher ....  unit production manager  
Denise Pinckley ....  production manager  
  
Assistant Director 
Robert C. Albertell ....  second assistant director  
Michael Haley ....  assistant director  
  
Sound Department 
Les Lazarowitz ....  sound mixer  
Mike Schmidt (III) ....  cable person: Florida  
Gregory H. Watkins ....  sound re-recording mixer  
  
Stunts 
Daniel W. Barringer ....  stunt co-ordinator  
Vic Bucossi ....  stuntman  
Keith Campbell (I) ....  stunts  
Frank Ferrara ....  stunts  
  
Other crew 
Samantha Berger ....  assistant production office co-ordinator  
Peter DeCurtis ....  set dresser  
Stan Eusty ....  production assistant  
Betsy Friedman ....  set staff assistant production assistant  
Justin Goudreau ....  office production assistant  
Dale E. Grahn ....  color timer (as Dale Grahn) 
Steven Granik ....  art department production assistant  
Mo Henry ....  negative cutter  
Dave Knight ....  locations production assistant  
Erik Knight ....  art department co-ordinator  
Adam Leichtman ....  assistant to Robert De Niro  
Justin Marx ....  production assistant  
Greyson Miller ....  staff assistant office production assistant  
Maria Pietersz ....  office production assistant  
Joseph Proscia ....  lead man  
Scott Ramsey ....  gaffer  
Stephen M. Rickert Jr. ....  assistant editor  
Scott Schaeffer (II) ....  production assistant  
Mark Schwentner ....  rigging gaffer  
Ian Shive ....  production assistant  
Ryan Shore ....  orchestrator  
Mikki Ziska ....  production assistant  
  
 
 

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ANALYZE THIS
A film review by Steve Rhodes
Copyright 1999 Steve Rhodes
RATING (0 TO ****):  *** 1/2

For today's cinematic feast, ANALYZE THIS, we assemble the finest ingredients. For one leading actor, we put in one of Hollywood's very best actors, Robert De Niro, who has been nominated for 6 Oscars and won two. And for the other lead, we combine De Niro with one of America's funniest comedians, Billy Crystal. We locate some of the top supporting actors, including Lisa Kudrow and Chazz Palminteri, to give extra flavor. For the chef, we use GROUNDHOG DAY's director, Harold Ramis, who, working with other writing talents, also comes up with a hilarious recipe.

The results?  Magnific!

Okay, so the right ingredients do not always produce a sumptuous meal. Sometimes, they turn out incredibly bland (FATHER'S DAY) and other times, stomach curdling indigestible (MY GIANT). This time, however, the meal from appetizers to dessert is a real treat.

Robert De Niro plays Paul Vitti (Mr. V. to you), a gangster with a debilitating illness. The head of one New York's crime families, as was his father, Mr. V. suffers from anxiety or panic attacks that cause him to break into tears, not something likely to instill fear and loyalty in his men. He even admits to having had trouble in bed once. Well, twice. Maybe 3 times. Actually, he doesn't want to discuss it. What he needs is a good shrink who can provide a quick cure -- he's currently in the middle of a gang war with a family headed by Chazz Palminteri -- and can keep quiet about the treatment.

Mr. V. decides Ben Sobol (Billy Crystal) is just the psychiatrist for him, even if a scared Ben wants nothing to do with him. The chemistry between the street-wise Mr. V. and the intellectual Ben is deliciously funny. "What is my goal here, to make you a happy, well-adjusted gangster?" Ben asks rhetorically.

Not wanting to spend time at the bottom of the river with bricks in her pockets, Ben reluctantly agrees to treat the gangster when he returns from his honeymoon. But before the marriage with his non-understanding fiancée, played by Lisa Kudrow, Mr. V. keeps yanking Ben away to deal with one emotional crisis after another. De Niro and Crystal, who are both at the top of their form in ANALYZE THIS, have great chemistry together with both giving as good as he gets in the comedic battle of the actor titans. Ramis has the good sense to have them play the comedy seriously, thus avoiding the overacting that a pure parody would have likely created.

The best of the movie's sight gags comes in the wedding present that Mr. V. sends the happy new couple. A Vatican-sized fountain, complete with flying horses spouting water, adorns -- actually, totally dominates -- the Sobol's front yard. Later, Mr. V. will top even this lavish token of his appreciation.

Some of the movie's best lines are unprintable. One of these comes when Mr. V. is explaining his problems with sexual dysfunction with his girlfriend. Ben asks, seriously, why Mr. V. needs a girlfriend since he already has a wife. De Niro, who has trouble keeping a straight face with his answer, provides a rationale that most people have probably not considered.

The mark of a well-rounded movie is whether the supporting cast is offered as many good lines as the stars. By that measure, ANALYZE THIS is certainly a success. A typically oddball line occurs when one of Mr. V.'s guards, a flabby one appropriately named Jelly (Joe Viterelli), goes out for sandwiches. Jelly asks the other guard if he wants one too. "What kind of sandwich ain't too fattening?" the other guard asks. "A half a sandwich," a never-weight-conscious Jelly replies in disgust.

Between warring gangs and investigating members of the OCD (not Obsessive Compulsive Disorder as Ben surmises but Organized Crimes Division), Ben tries to keep his head while all about him are losing theirs. When Mr. V. goes into another of his crying fits at an unpropitious moment, Ben counsels him, "It's time to turn all of that nice grief into a murderous rage."

Comedies, even the best ones, frequently fizzle in the end, as happened in the recent OFFICE SPACE. With melodramas, the conclusion is usually central to the narrative, but not so when it comes to humorous stories. ANALYZE THIS manages to find a way to resolve the story's conflicts in a manner that is both satisfying and unusual -- a nice cap to a sweet comedy.

ANALYZE THIS runs 1:45. It is rated R for profanity, brief sexuality and comic violence and would be fine for teenagers.

Email: Steve.Rhodes@InternetReviews.com Web: www.InternetReviews.com




Have I seen this movie: Yes
And what did I think: Robert DeNiro and Billy Crystal give another fine performance in this comedy directed by the former Ghostbuster, Harold Ramis. For anyone who likes comedic gangster movies, this shouldn't disappoint. It features a lot of the stereotypical Italian-American gangster shown in the movies, but its all in good fun. One funny scene in particular is taken right from the Godfather when Billy Crystal is dreaming and is assassinated just like Vito Corleone was when he was buying fruit. Robert DeNiro plays a neurotic head gangster with some major problems. Because of this, he asks Billy Crystal to help him sort his problems out. Reluctantly, Crystal agrees.... how can you say no to a top mobster? DeNiro's boys disrupt his life and even his own wedding to have him help their boss. Now it's humorous and all, but it's not one of the best comedies out there. If you're a big DeNiro or Crystal fan, you should like it, however if you just are looking for something good to rent, you might be better waiting for this to come on to cable. It's good, but not the best comedy out there now.

I give Analyze This 3.5 out of 5 stars
Review written August 26, 1999
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