Analyze This: More than just a Goodfellas parody?

Alright, so I finally got around to rewatching "Analyze This" after, god, probably 15 years? Part of me was worried it wouldn't hold up, you know, like a lot of comedies from that era rely on gags that just clang now. But honestly, I was pleasantly surprised. De Niro's comedic timing is chef's kiss, and the whole premise – a mob boss in therapy – is just inherently funny. The scene where he's trying to cry but can only manage a single, pathetic tear? Gold. Straight gold. What I think elevates it beyond just a goofy mob spoof is the underlying tension, though. You never completely forget that Paul Vitti is a dangerous guy. Even when he's spilling his guts to Ben Sobel (Crystal, doing his usual schtick but it actually works), there's this undercurrent of menace. Does Vitti really want help, or is he just manipulating Sobel? That ambiguity kept me engaged, even during the more slapstick moments. And Lisa Kudrow showing up is always a bonus, even in a small role! Crystal sometimes verges on being a bit too much of a caricature of the stressed-out Jewish doctor, but De Niro reels it back in every time. The writing, I think, deserves a lot of credit too. It's not laugh-out-loud hilarious the whole time, but consistently witty and insightful about masculinity, power, and therapy itself. I think its aged really well and I might even argue it’s better than Analyze That (fight me). Ultimately, it's a solid comedy with some deeper thematic stuff going on. A nice deconstruction of masculinity with some moments of real, unforced humor. If you're looking for something light but with a brain, definitely worth checking out. I will say, that last action scene when he grabs the machine gun? That seemed a little out of place tone-wise, maybe too much like a regular action movie. But hey, can't win 'em all.