Analyze This is a 1999 crime 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 a psychiatrist. A sequel, Analyze That, was released in 2002.
Plot
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.
Vitti visits a terrified Sobel, and claims that "his friend" needs therapy. Sobel easily deduces that Vitti's friend is in fact Vitti himself, impressing Vitti enough to decide to see him whenever he needs him. Sobel leaves with his son for Miami a day early. The holiday starts off well, until Sobel learns that Vitti, Jelly and their men have followed him to Miami: Vitti failed to get an erection while having sex with his girlfriend, and blamed Sobel's "bad service". Vitti explains that he has been going through a hard time, and Sobel suggests that the source of the problem might be stress, which Sobel describes to Vitti as a very powerful force on its own, again impressing Vitti, who decides to make Sobel his psychiatrist. A reluctant Sobel agrees to treat Vitti exclusively once they return to New York. The next day, however, Vitti has another panic attack, and requests to see Sobel again, only after a skeptical Sobel was thrown into the shark tank by Jelly as a means of intimidation. Vitti explains his bleak history with his father (who died of a heart attack) to Sobel, who thinks that this might have something to do with Vitti's problems. The wedding day arrives, but unfortunately, so does an assassin, sent by Primo to kill Vitti. The assassin kills one of Vitti's friends, but is subdued by Vitti and Jelly, who throw him out of a window to his death, right in the middle of the wedding, just before Sobel can say "I do". An enraged Sobel confronts Vitti and gets into a heated argument with the mob boss. Vitti soon gets angry, and Sobel suggests that he take his anger out on Primo, but in a calm way. Vitti phones Primo and attempts to forgive him, but ends up threatening him violently that he will kill him if he tries to assassinate him again.
Sobel and his family return to New York, where they find a gigantic fountain in their garden and the FBI in their house. The FBI have been monitoring Vitti for the past few weeks, and have noticed Sobel with him. They request that Sobel spy on Vitti for them, but Sobel refuses. Sobel, however, changes his mind when the FBI show him a recorded tape of Vitti speaking with another mobster, in which Vitti reveals his intention to kill Sobel after the meeting (which the FBI had actually altered themselves in a desperate attempt to sway Sobel to their side: Vitti had really said that he had no intention to harm Sobel and would kill anyone who laid a finger on him). Sobel wears a sellotaped recorder in his next meeting with Vitti and his men, but takes it off and throws it away once he hears from Jelly that Vitti's father was actually murdered before his very eyes when he was still a child, possibly traumatising him into the villain he is now. Sobel believes that he might be able to help Vitti after all, but Vitti realises Sobel was working with the FBI, and takes him to a secluded place to kill him. Sobel and Vitti get into another argument, and Vitti begins to cry upon being reminded of his father's murder: he had been angry with his father at the time, and refused to warn him about the killers, thus believing himself to be guilty for his father's death.
Just then, assassins sent by Primo ambush them, and a gunfight ensues. Primo's men are killed, and Vitti (who was crying the whole time) thanks Sobel for saving his life. The day of the meeting arrives, but Vitti has another episode, rendering him unable to attend. Jelly interrupts Sobel's wedding again, and requests that Sobel attend the meeting in Vitti's place as Vitti's new consigliere. Sobel is initially terrified, but his self-confidence builds and he begins to cheek Primo to the point where Primo pulls a gun on him. Vitti arrives in time and orders Primo to stand down. Vitti then announces that he knows that a traitor in his own family killed Dominic, but will not seek revenge, and instead retire from the mafia lifestyle, much to everyone's surprise. Once outside, another gun battle ensues between Vitti and Primo's men, during which Sobel takes a bullet to the shoulder to protect Vitti (although he actually tripped over). The FBI intervenes and the mobsters are arrested while Sobel is taken to hospital.
The film ends with Sobel visiting Vitti in Sing Sing prison. Vitti gratefully thanks Sobel for all the help he gave him, and once again tells him "You...you're good, you...". They bid farewell and part as Vitti is taken back to his cell by a guard.
Cast
Box office performance and reception
The film was successful both critically and commercially, grossing $177 million in total. The movie also received mixed to positive reviews, scoring a 67% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
See also
External links
