Analyze This: 25th Anniversary- DeNiro And Crystal Still Pair Well Together
Quick Take: Not everything needs a sequel, and this Billy Crystal/Robert DeNiro comedy got one anyway, but the first film was magic. It took what makes each one of these actors great, and just leaned in. Of course DeNiro plays a mob boss. That’s his thing. Crystal plays a psychiatrist, something he just did again in 2024 in Apple’s limited series Before. It is the story of a mob boss who has a panic attack, and seeks the counsel of a shrink to figure out what’s wrong with him. Though, in his line of work, being a vulnerable mob boss isn’t an option. And, being a therapist for a mob boss is a very demanding job.
I’ve seen this numerous times. I’m sure I saw it in theatres. i think I had this on VHS, as one of my last tape purchases before diving into DVD’s in 2000. this is very much a comfort movie for me, even if some of the jokes make me cringe a little now as an adult. There are things we put in movies back in 1999, and hearing them today just doesn’t match with the current output. But, this isn’t so dramatically shocking, like trying to watch Ace Ventura again. I can actually sit down and watch this, and still feel what I want. Comfort.
DeNiro is underrated as a comedy actor, considering his awards attention always seems to be for his dramatic work, and Crystal is in his zone. Lisa Kudrow also has a big part as Crystal’s fiancée, and Joe Viterello made a little impact as Jelly, though his career didn’t blow up from this. We all love Jelly, but Jelly just doesn’t translate into many other films.
Analyze This is still a great comedy 25 years later. the sequel? it’s not as good, but I definitely disliked it less than I remember. But, the amount of times I’ve seen the first over the second is very broad. For more, check out the video.
