Today’s Prayer Focus

Analyze That

MPA Rating: R-Rating (MPA)

for language and some sexual content.

Moral Rating:	not reviewed
Moviemaking Quality:
Primary Audience:	Adults
Genre:	Comedy
Length:	1 hr. 35 min.
Year of Release:	2002
USA Release:

Relevant Issues

DISCUSSION:

1. The struggle to live moral lives within the laws of God and nation requires a respect and concern for others not present in the Mafioso lifestyle. As we see Vitti struggle with paying taxes and having a legitimate job, we can laugh at his distaste but also recognize that the only way evil like the Mafia can survive is if the majority of humanity provides a solid foundation to the nation. Consider how evil lives off the good and can only survive as a parasitic organism. Just as there must be honor among thieves, so evil cannot exist without the good. Discuss whether there are any exceptions to this truth.

2. Consider the impact a father has on his children. Consider the importance of the father living the life he wants for his children rather than just dreaming that they can live differently. Consider the modeling that goes into the fathering responsibility.

3. If you were born into a Mafioso family, how would you view life? What would it take for you to be able to break free from the categories and expectations of such a worldview? What should we being doing today to change the lives of those caught in “organized crime?

—Denny and Hal, CinemaInFocus.com

Featuring	Robert De Niro, Billy Crystal, Lisa Kudrow, Joe Viterelli, Brian Rogalski
Director	Harold Ramis
Producer	Jane Rosenthal, Paula Weinstein, Robert De Niro, Billy Crystal, Barry Levinson
Distributor	Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company

See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.

Positive—…This was FUNNY! It’s not often that a sequel is funnier than the original, but as much as I enjoyed Analyze This, the sequel is even better. Yeah, a bunch of “F-Bombs” are dropped throughout the movie, but there are a LOT of people who talk that that out in the real world. Yeah, there was a woman making exaggerated sexual sounds. It was played for laughs and it got them. The chemistry between Robert De Niro’s Paul Vitti and Billy Crystal’s Dr. Ben Sobol is the core of the movie, and what holds it together. But some of the supporting roles are also beautifully played as well, particularly Joe Viterelli’s Jelly, Vitti’s right hand man, who is hysterical in an understated sort of way. One of the few downsides to this movie is how little Lisa Kudrow’s character is used.

I say that not because she is some great addition to the cast, or an underappreciated actress or something, but because the credits lead you to believe she is one of the main characters in the movie, but if you’ve seen the previews you’re pretty much seen all her scenes.

The aformentioned Joe Viterelli should have been credited before Miss Kudrow, but because he has been on a hit sitcom, he gets credited lower, although he contributes far more to the film. All in all this movie was a lot of fun, and the most I have laughed since I saw Monsters Inc…
My Ratings: [Average / 4]

Joseph J. Fusco, age 32

Movie Critics

…at least 88 “f” words… Sexually related dialogue [and] exaggerated sexual sounds of a woman… scantly clad strippers… male masturbation references…

ScreenIt!

…has some good laughs and some talented actors, but the enjoyment is far out-shadowed by the offensive elements of language and sexual content…

Movieguide

…A big disappointment. All the profanity of the original with only a fraction of the laughs…

Michael Elliott, the Christian Critic