Analyze This

Analyze This
Promotional poster
Directed by	Harold Ramis
Produced by	Paula Weinstein Jane Rosenthal
Screenplay by	Kenneth Lonergan Peter Tolan Harold Ramis
Story by	Kenneth Lonergan Peter Tolan
Starring	Robert De Niro Billy Crystal Lisa Kudrow
Music by	Howard Shore
Cinematography	Stuart Dryburgh
Editing by	Craig P. Herring Christopher Tellefsen
Studio	Village Roadshow Pictures TriBeCa Productions
Distributed by	Warner Bros.
Release date(s)	5 March 1999
Running time	103 minutes
Country	United States Australia
Language	English
Budget	$80 million
Box office	$176,885,658

Analyze This is a 1999 gangster comedy film directed by Harold Ramis, who co-wrote the screenplay with playwright Kenneth Lonergan and Peter Tolan. The film stars Robert De Niro as a mafioso and Billy Crystal as his psychiatrist. A sequel, Analyze That, was released in 2002.

Plot

Mob boss Paul Vitti narrates a brief history of the Mafia: in the wake of Albert Anastasia's death, the dispute over whether Vito Genovese, Carlo Gambino or Joe Bananas will ascend to mob supremacy results in the Apalachin Meeting in upstate New York. The meeting is raided by the FBI, and the Mafia does not call a summit again until the present day.

Vitti and his friend Dominic are discussing the upcoming meeting and the Mafia's present-day problems. Dominic warns Vitti to look out for Primo Sindone. Gunmen drive past and kill Dominic.

Psychiatrist Ben Sobel is facing his own problems: his son from his first marriage listens to his sessions, his patients are not challenging enough, and his wedding, to Laura MacNamara in Miami, is coming soon. Sobel rear-ends a car belonging to Vitti and the trunk pops open, revealing a man bound and gagged inside, which Sobel and his son do not notice because they are arguing. Jelly, one of Vitti's henchmen, takes the blame, but Sobel gives Jelly his business card in case he changes his mind about compensation.

During a meeting with his friends, Vitti suffers a panic attack and tells Jelly that he needs to see a psychiatrist, but it has to be kept a secret. Jelly recommends Sobel. Vitti visits Sobel, claiming his friend needs therapy. Sobel impresses Vitti enough to want to see him whenever necessary. Sobel goes to Miami for his wedding, but Vitti, Jelly and their men follow him. Vitti explains he has been having a hard time and Sobel suggests the source of the problem might be stress.

The next day Vitti has another panic attack and requests to see Sobel. Vitti explains his bleak history with his father to Sobel, who thinks this might have something to do with Vitti's problems. The wedding is interrupted when an assassin kills one of Vitti's friends. Sobel confronts Vitti and argues with him until he becomes angry. Sobel suggests he take his anger out on Primo. Vitti phones Primo and ends up threatening to kill him.

Sobel and his family return to New York, where they find a fountain in their garden, a gift from Vitti. The FBI arrive and request Sobel spy on Vitti, but he refuses. He changes his mind when the FBI play an altered tape in which Vitti reveals his intention to kill Sobel (Vitti had actually said he would kill anyone who harmed Sobel). Sobel wears a tape recorder in his next meeting with Vitti, but throws it away when he learns that Vitti saw his father murdered when he was a child. Sobel thinks he can help Vitti, but Vitti, informed that Sobel was working with the FBI, takes him to a secluded place to kill him. Sobel and Vitti get into an argument, and Vitti cries when reminded of his father's murder.

The day of the meeting arrives, but Vitti has another crisis. Jelly interrupts Sobel's wedding, requesting Sobel attend the meeting as Vitti's consigliere. Sobel is initially terrified, but his self-confidence grows to the point that he begins to cheek Primo until Primo finally pulls a gun on him. Vitti arrives, ordering Primo to stand down and announcing he knows a traitor in his own family killed Dominic, but will not seek revenge and instead retire from the Mafia. Once outside, another gun battle ensues between Vitti and Primo's men, during which Sobel inadvertently takes a bullet intended for Vitti. The FBI intervenes, the mobsters are arrested, and Sobel is taken to the hospital.

Sobel visits Vitti in prison and Vitti thanks Sobel for his help. At home, Sobel dances with his new wife as Tony Bennett serenades them.

Cast

• Robert De Niro as Paul Vitti
• Billy Crystal as Ben Sobel M.D.
• Lisa Kudrow as Laura MacNamara
• Chazz Palminteri as Primo Sindone
• Joe Viterelli as Jelly
• Kyle Sabihy as Michael
• Pat Cooper as Sal Masiello
• Joe Rigano as Manetta
• Leo Rossi as Carlo Mangano
• Richard C. Castellano as Jimmy
• Pasquale Cajano as Frankie Zello
• Gene Ruffini as Joe Baldassare
• Judith Kahan as Elaine Felton
• Tony Bennett (Guest starring) as Himself
• DonnaMarie Recco as Shiela
• Bill Macy as Dr. Isaac Sobel
• Rebecca Schull as Dorothy Sobel
• Aasif Mandvi as Dr. Shulman

Reception

The film grossed $177 million in total. It scored a 68% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

External links

• Analyze This at the Internet Movie Database
• Analyze This at Box Office Mojo
• Analyze This at Rotten Tomatoes
• Analyze This at the TCM Movie Database
• Analyze This at AllRovi