2
4
(shootings, a lot of strong language, & some sex)
(nothing substantial)
5
(see it once)
"Analyze This" is a very funny movie. You might expect that with Billy Crystal and Harold Ramis (the director) involved. I don’t think of comedy when I think of Robert De Niro, but I do expect strong acting. The three of them are bound to make a decent movie which they did. There is a balance between drama and hysterical comedy that is a better mix than most.
Paul is a Mafia boss. Thanks to a drive-by shooting he starts having panic attacks so he has Dr. Ben Sobel "shrink his head." Ben has to balance his fear of Paul’s criminal power and ruthlessness with his desire to help another human being. As Ben delves into Paul’s psyche he’s dragged, sometimes kicking and screaming, into the world of the Mafia. If Paul’s enemies don’t kill the psychiatrist, Paul's bodyguards might, if his bodyguards don’t Paul himself might, and if Paul doesn’t kill him the FBI might. Sucks to be him.
What makes the story good is Paul has real problems; actually, so does Ben. Ben has to overcome his insecurities and anxieties then face down a gangster who would rather kill his doctor than face his true fears. There is terrific character development from both main characters. Paul makes life-changing decisions, and Ben changes the way he approaches life. Paul’s emotional breakdowns are sometimes comedic, sometimes dramatic, and the balance between the two is impressive. There is room for violence and laughs in any given scene. It keeps the moments somewhat realistic while throwing out over-the-top cinematic moments.
Robert and Billy of course do impeccable jobs with acting and comedy. Chazz Palminteri is intense and good. Lisa Kudrow is quirky cute. The one I am really impressed with, though, is Joe Viterelli, a relative unknown next to the others. He manages to be a big, dumb oaf and an effective, even occasionally brilliant bodyguard. Neither would be too hard a role alone, but finding a convincing balance takes talent. The pace is a little too slow at a few points, but generally if you’re not laughing you’re at least getting some good dramatic story elements.
Morality
The biggest downfall for this movie is the language. Strong language is one thing, but when you bleep out the bad words and lose half the dialogue that might be a tad overboard. It’s so bad it’s more annoying than offensive. If you can deal with that the rest of the questionable material will be mild in comparison.
There’s also some violence with several people getting shot, chucked out of windows, and manhandled.
There is at least one sex scene (though no nudity) and some sexually-related topics of conversation.
Spirituality
There is little if any mention of anything related to God or religion. About the closest we get is having a funeral in a church. To some extent we are following the lives of criminals which can be taken as glamorizing the mobster lifestyle, but generally speaking such a life is shown to be fraught with danger and negative consequences.
Good aspects include Ben facing dangers to help a fellow human being. If only we as Christians were so determined to help others even when it's difficult to do so. In addition is Ben getting some measure of reward for his efforts which is not always the case in real life (not in such a tangible way at least), but even with that consideration Ben's most valued reward is successfully helping his “friend” (if you can really call such a person a friend). Likewise, despite his criminal lifestyle, Paul stands up for this man who is trying to help him (though he does also try to kill his doctor so take it with a grain of salt).
Final Thoughts
The comedy element here is above average especially when coupled with an actually intelligent dramatic story, but it loses points for being extreme to the point of annoyance in the language department. Entertainment-wise it's worthy of consideration for a Friday night movie night.
Buying Guide
Hunting down "Analyze This" should be easy enough if you're wanting to also get the sequel "Analyze That." Getting this one by itself on DVD, though, could be a pain depending on how particular you are.
I couldn't find a Blu version that doesn't include the sequel. You can also get the 2 pack in DVD format. A product search turns up several results for the DVD; I've been looking at specs trying to figure out what the difference are. They all look pretty much the same, though a couple do have minor differences.
I'll start with the double-feature Blu. The video is 1.85 widescreen at 1080p. The audio is 5.1 True HD.
While the specs are HD the reviews are inconsistent. Some say that it looks noticeably better than DVD and sounds great while others say that it is no better quality than DVD because of how the two movies have been crammed onto a single disc. I would say that most likely if there is an improvement it will be marginal. Unfortunately it doesn't appear to have any of the extras that the DVD does.
For the DVD's the most notable difference is that the newer version doesn't list the 1.33 pan-and-scan ratio as being included. What it does list is a 1.77 widescreen ratio that is different from the older release. It was shot in 1.85 so you're getting a slightly modified image. If you are particular about seeing movies in the original aspect ratio you may want to consider the older DVD (the one detailed below) over this one. The audio is 5.1 surround: probably the same track as the older release. There's no mention of any extras, though that doesn't mean the ones from the original release aren't on here.
Final Recommendation:
I was blown away when I was comparing my DVD to VHS (back when DVD's were a new thing), but now it seems like a light package. You really need to be an aficionado to appreciate the commentaries, but the outtakes are most definitely worth a look. It's hard to make a solid recommendation without knowing for sure if the other releases include extras. My job (and your decisions) would be so much easier if companies would start giving more complete details of their products.
My version of the DVD is the older 2-sided disc.
Video
1.85 widescreen & 1.33 pan-and-scan:
The ratios are on opposite sides of the disc. I was impressed with the video quality initially as this was one of the first DVD's I ever saw after watching so many movies on VHS. Compared to newer releases it could be better. The colors are a bit thin, and the image coud be sharper.
Audio
5.1 Dolby:
The sound is clear and strong. The surround sound is nothing to get excited about but is better than nothing.
Packaging
Mine is so old that it come in one of those crappy cardboard cases. Those have been phased out, and I believe it has either been re-released or at least repackaged with a plastic case.
A chapters list is printed on the inside flap.
The interface shows a little fun creativity with a lively music selection and highlight icon that looks like bullet holes in the TV.
Extras
-Commentaries:
-Billy Crystal, Robert De Niro: Billy isn’t as funny as I thought he might be and Robert doesn’t say much.
-Harold Ramis: Harold is sparse and dry though he does have some interesting moments. Despite some funny guys talking about a funny movie neither commentary is nearly as entertaining as I expected.
-Gag Reel (5:09) These amusing outtakes are mostly Billy cracking up and De Niro being silly. Content warning: conversations about sex with marine life, sex with people, strong language.
-Cast & Crew: A list of the talent with filmography links for 3 people.
-Theatrical Trailer (2:15) A good look at the story and comedy.