Year's Second Mob Comedy Delivers Goods, Needs DeNiro

by Jason R. Hewlett

Mobsters are popular in Hollywood these days. Earlier this year we had the exceptionally good "Analyze This" and now comes "Mickey Blue Eyes," which features the comedic talents of Hugh Grant (as opposed to Billy Crystal), James Caan (as opposed to Robert DeNiro), and Jeanne Tripplehorn (as opposed to Lisa Kudrow) and the results work but still feel a little low-rent compared to the comedy that proceeded it.

The concept feels a bit similar to "Analyze This" as well. Similar enough anyway. Art auctioneer Hugh Grant loves teacher Tripplehorn only to discover that her dad is a mob boss. He becomes embroiled in their seedy underworld and becomes known as tough mobster Mickey Blue Eyes while she cringes at the thought of him being involved with "The Family." Not quite the earlier film but not too far off either.

There are several good laughs in "Mickey Blue eyes," many of them from having Grant's fish-out-of-water Brit mingling with the tough Italian mobsters. It's surprising how much mileage screenwriters Robert Kuhn and Marc Lawrence get out of what could have been a one note idea. They even throw in a few surprises and decent plot twists along the way.

Hugh Grant is good in the film. The part almost feels tailor made for him (considering Elizabeth Hurley is one of the producers that could have been the case). Tripplehorn is also surprisingly good here and James Caan holds his own despite the fact that the role feels like a DeNiro performance in waiting.

"Mickey Blue Eyes" is a nice enough comedy and worth the price of admission.

6.5 out of 10!