Analyze That (2002)

Awesome Movie

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Blistering performances.

A sequel to the enjoyable Analyze This, 'Analyze That' is a partly funny sequel, that never achieves the wit & energy of its prequel, but works in its own way nonetheless. Despite a few shortcomings, there are some genuine laughs to be had here!'Analyze That' Synopsis: Mobster Paul Vitti is released into Dr. Ben Sobol's care, where only more chaos ensues.'Analyze That' has a strong first-hour, where the humor works. But, the second-hour slips into predictability & is low on laughs. In short, a lively first-hour is its high, but an underwhelming second-hour is its low!Kenneth Lonergan, Peter Tolan, Peter Steinfeld & Harold Ramis's Screenplay works in bits & pieces. One certainly is missing the wit of its much superior prequel. Ramis's Direction is decent, as always. Ramis knew his job & his loss makes his work all the more precious. Performance-Wise: Robert De Niro & Billy Crystal reprise their parts, most admirably. De Niro is simply brilliant as the don with a soft heart, while Crystal is responsible for the film's best laughs. Joe Viterelli, in his final role. is excellent. Lisa Kudrow is lovely in a small, but significant role.On the whole, 'Analyze That' isn't all-out funny, but it succeeds in making you laugh at parts.

Analyze That is the sequel to Analyze This and again re-unites Robert DiNero and Billy Crystal. The story picks up right where Analyze This left off. Paul Vitti is in jail and when unknown people try and kill him, he realizes he must get out and get to those responsible for the attempts in murdering him, before they get to him. He fakes an illness and gets released into his former shrink, Ben Sobel's, care.I enjoyed the first one. I thought it had a a few funny moments, great acting, and I just overall enjoyed it. I didn't see the point in a sequel. However, I also enjoyed this one. It wasn't as good as the first, by no means. But it was still alright.Once again, it had funny moments and great acting, but I didn't buy into the premise, and some of the dialog was a bit hammy. However, I enjoyed it and, if you watch one, you might as well watch the other. A solid 6/10

The first gangster comedy film was a surprising success, and they tried to create the same thing again with this sequel, from director Harold Ramis (Groundhog Day, Analyze This, Bedazzled). Basically Paul Vitti (Robert De Niro) is in prison following the events of the last film, and he seems do be cracking under the pressure, and he is fearing death. So naturally the one to called in to help him out is the psychiatrist and analyst he last saw, Dr. Ben Sobel (Billy Crystal) who has just lost his father. Paul appears to be catatonic when Ben visits him, but once they are are out of prison and the former gangster is Ben's responsibility, he shows he was faking. Paul is eager to both open up about his feelings once again, and try to find something to do to open up, make something of himself and feel good. He may in fact though be planning some big scheme, even when he finds a good job assisting the scriptwriter of a successful gangster drama show. Ben's wife Laura (Lisa Kudrow) is obviously not happy about the former gangster being Ben's responsibility, she would be even more unhappy if she knew their son Michael (Kyle Sabihy) was his driver. Of course it comes to the time when there is a big job, Paul has planned a robbery of a truck filled with gold bullion, and it seems to go reasonably well, up to the point when the police show up, and it is all part of the gangster show! In the end, the big crime family that the police wanted get caught, and Ben and Paul part ways as friends and singing a show tune from West Side Story. Also starring Joe Viterelli as Jelly, Reg Rogers as Raoul Berman, Cathy Moriarty as Patti LoPresti, John Finn as Richard Chapin and Callie Thorne as Agent Cerrone. Crystal is still great as the pressured, humiliated and embarrassed doctor, and De Niro is still good as the fast talking, rude and emotionally damaged crime lord. The film has its great comedic moments, but that is all it has, moments, it does not have the same dynamic the original had, but it is an alright crime comedy sequel. Okay!

This time around, everything is different. Paul's coming from somewhere he's never been, going into a new life, and in new directions, and dragging the f'ing Doctor along with him.The same dynamic from "Analyze This" is in play, but it is applied differently, with more skill. This chapter feels like it tries to be more serious, and loses some of the charm of the first installment, but it manages a certain gritty edge missing from that first movie.This is still a witty movie, don't get me wrong. But it gives the viewers more of the business end of Paul Vitti and family. The laughs are less the belly kind and more the thinker's tickle kind until about half way through it, and then it changes gears and the belly laughs start coming again.I really enjoy this movie, and watch it often.It rates an 8.4/10 from...the Fiend :.