'Analyze This (1999)' is a comedy about a therapist who finds himself saddled with an unwanted client after he accidentally rear-ends a gangster's car. Robert De Niro embraces his reputation for playing organised criminals, portraying the head of a New York crime family who's having panic attacks in the wake of an assassination attempt that left his best friend dead. For the most part, he plays the part straight and that's why his dynamic with Billy Crystal's put-upon head doctor works as well as it does. It's styled like a traditional gangster movie, which enhances its satirisation and subversion, but it's structured like a traditional comedy, which allows for plenty of comically stressful situations and the subconscious comfort of a familiar formula. Although it takes a while to be so, it's actually rather funny. It may be a little bit too long for its own good, but it's always engaging and enjoyable. It also does just enough character work to feel legitimate, making sure that the stakes are always real and that there's a reason to care. It's generally a solid comedy with a handful of really humorous scenes. It's a good time.
Review of Analyze This
