Analyze This

A comedy about a psychiatrist whose number one-patient is an insecure mob boss.

• Director:Harold Ramis
• Genre:Comedy / Crime
• Runtime:99 minutes

Cast

Robert De Niro : Paul Vitti
Billy Crystal : Dr. Ben Sobel
Lisa Kudrow : Laura MacNamara Sobel
Chazz Palminteri: Primo Sidone
Kresimir Novakovic: ’50s Gangster

Prologue: In voiceover, mob boss Paul Vitti (De Niro) narrates a brief history of the Mafia during the year 1957: 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 breaks up early when it is raided by the F.B.I., and the mafia has never tried calling a nationwide summit since then… until now.

Vitti (Robert De Niro) and his avuncular best friend, Dominic (Joseph Rigano) are discussing the upcoming meeting at a restaurant. Dominic warns that the mafia is in deep trouble, with the F.B.I.’s unprecedented success in turning “made” mobsters into informants and putting bosses in prison, not to mention the new competition from incoming Chinese and Russian gangsters. As they exit the restaurant, Dominic also warns Vitti to look out for Young Turk boss Primo Sindone (Chazz Palminteri). Vitti pauses and turns back to get a toothpick, which saves his life when gunmen speed past the restaurant in a car and gun down Dominic. A distraught Vitti vows to avenge Dominic.

Meanwhile, a psychiatrist, Ben Sobel (Billy Crystal), is facing his own problems: his son from his first marriage keeps listening to his sessions, his patients are not challenging enough, and his second wedding to Laura MacNamara (Lisa Kudrow) in Miami is coming soon. Sobel’s life turns completely upside down when he accidentally smashes into a car from behind while driving with his son. The car, it turns out, belongs to Paul Vitti. Jimmy angrily berates Sobel, but Jelly (Joe Viterelli) intervenes and takes the blame, despite Jimmy having to tape the trunk to the car (because there was someone bound and gagged in the trunk, narrowly escaping Sobel’s sight). Sobel nonetheless gives Jelly his card in case he changes his mind about seeking compensation.

Shortly thereafter, during a meeting with his friends, Vitti’s extreme anxiety leads to a panic attack, although he exaggerates to the doctor (claiming he’s had eight heart attacks) and gets angry when the doctor suggests that he had a panic attack (on the basis that he is a mob boss, someone who does not panic), subsequently ransacking the doctor’s practice in rage. Vitti then tells Jelly in private that he needs to see a psychiatrist, but it has to be kept a secret. Jelly recommends Sobel. Read more

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