Analyze This

Analyze This is a 1999 American mafia 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.

Analyze This
Theatrical release poster
Directed byHarold Ramis
Produced byPaula Weinstein
Jane Rosenthal
Screenplay byKenneth Lonergan
Peter Tolan
Harold Ramis
Story byKenneth Lonergan
Peter Tolan
Starring
Music byHoward Shore
CinematographyStuart Dryburgh
Edited byCraig P. Herring
Christopher Tellefsen
Production
company
Distributed byWarner Bros. Pictures (United States)
Roadshow Entertainment (Australia)
Release date
  • March 5, 1999 (1999-03-05)
Running time
103 minutes
CountryUnited States
Australia
LanguageEnglish
Budget$30-80 million[1][2]
Box office$176.9 million[1]

Analyze This was given a wide release by Warner Bros. Pictures and Roadshow Entertainment on March 5, 1999, grossed $176.9 million, and received positive reviews. Due to the success of the first film, Warner Bros. developed a follow up to the film, Analyze That (2002).

Plot

Mob boss Paul Vitti and his consigliere Manetta are discussing an upcoming meeting and the Mafia's present-day problems over lunch. Just as Manetta warns Paul to look out for Primo Sindone (an up-and-coming mafioso who wants to be capo di tutti capi), gunmen drive past and kill Manetta. Paul narrowly escapes.

Psychiatrist Ben Sobel is stressed: his son from his first marriage spies on his sessions, his patients are not challenging enough, and his wedding to Laura MacNamara is upcoming. Ben rear-ends a car belonging to Paul and the trunk opens, revealing a man bound and gagged inside, which Ben and his son do not notice. Jelly, one of Paul's men, takes the blame, but Ben gives Jelly his business card in case he changes his mind regarding compensation.

During a meeting, Paul has a panic attack and tells Jelly that he needs to see a psychiatrist, but it has to be kept a secret. Jelly recommends Ben. Paul visits Ben, claiming his friend needs therapy, but Ben sees through the lie and realizes Paul is talking about himself, impressing Paul enough to want to see him constantly, to Ben's frustration. Ben goes to Miami for his wedding and Paul, Jelly, and the crew follow. Paul explains he has been suffering from erectile dysfunction and Ben suggests the source of the problem might be stress.

The next day Paul has another panic attack and requests to see Ben. Paul explains his history with his father to Ben, who thinks this might have something to do with Paul's anxiety. The wedding is interrupted when an assassin is killed by Jelly. Ben confronts Paul and causes him to lose his temper. Ben suggests he resolve his anger by calling Primo and telling him how he feels. Paul phones Primo and starts by telling him how he feels but ends up threatening to kill him.

Ben and his family return to New York, where they find a fountain in their garden, a gift from Paul. The FBI arrive and request Ben inform on Paul, but he refuses despite the FBI's threats. He changes his mind when the FBI play a tape in which Paul reveals his intention to kill Ben after the meeting (which the FBI had altered: Paul was actually saying he would kill anyone who threatened Ben). At his next meet-up with Paul, Ben wears a wire, but discards it when he learns that, as a child, Paul witnessed his father murdered. Paul, informed that Ben was working with the FBI, takes him to a secluded place to kill him. Ben and Paul get into a heated argument, and Paul breaks down as he admits that he blames himself for his father's death. Just then, two hitmen arrive to kill Paul, but Jelly kills them both. Paul apologizes for planning to kill Ben, and the two part ways.

The day of the meeting arrives, but Paul has a severe panic attack. Jelly interrupts Ben's wedding, requesting Ben attend the meeting as Paul's consigliere. Ben is reluctant, but his ego causes him to patronize Primo until Primo finally pulls a gun. Paul arrives, orders Primo to stand down, and announces he knows a traitor in his own family killed Dominic, but will not seek revenge and instead retire from the Mafia. Outside, a standoff ensues between Paul's and Primo's men, during which Ben sacrifices himself for Paul. The FBI intervenes, the mobsters are arrested, and Ben is taken to the hospital.

Ben visits Paul in prison, and Paul thanks Ben for his help before informing him that Primo is dead. At home, Ben dances with his new wife as Tony Bennett serenades them.

Cast

Production

Development

Analyze This was co-produced and co-financed by the American Warner Bros. and the Australian Roadshow Entertainment.[3]

Reception

Box office

Analyse This opened in 2,518 theaters and earned an average of $7,017 per location, for an estimated $18 million opening weekend, putting it at number 1 at the box office for that weekend, exceeding the $13 million debut of City Slickers.[4] The opening weekend audience skewed older, 75% were 25 or older, with audiences demographics being 54% female to 46% male.[4] The film went on to earn $107 million at the domestic box office and a further $70 million at the international box office for a worldwide total of $177 million[1]

Critical response

On review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes the film has an approval rating of 69% approval rating from 106 reviews, with an average rating of 6.48/10. The website's consensus states: "Analyze This is a satisfying comedy with great performances by De Niro and Crystal."[5] On Metacritic the film has a weighted average score of 61 out of 100 based on 30 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews."[6] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film a grade A-.[7]

Roger Ebert gave the film 3 out of 4 stars, saying a movie like this will be thought of in terms of the two lead actors, but praised Joe Viterelli for his subtle performance that holds the film together.[8]

Analyze This drew several comparisons by journalists to the mafia TV show The Sopranos, which had premiered two months earlier in January, due to mobster Tony Soprano also having a psychiatrist.[9][10][11][12] The movie is also mentioned in The Sopranos episode "Guy Walks into a Psychiatrist's Office..."

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References
  1. "Analyze This (1999) - Financial Information". The Numbers.
  2. "Analyze This". Box Office Mojo.
  3. "For Warner and Roadshow Studios, No Need to Analyze Joint Ventures". latimes.com. 5 March 1999.
  4. Andrew Hindes (7 March 1999). "Adults take to 'This', Teens steer 'Cruel' to No. 2". Variety.
  5. "Analyze This". Rotten Tomatoes. 6 April 2020. Archived from the original on 27 April 2018.
  6. "Analyze This". Metacritic. 27 April 2018.
  7. ANALYZE THIS (1999) Archived 20 December 2018 at the Wayback Machine CinemaScore
  8. Ebert, Roger. "Analyze This Movie Review & Film Summary (1999)". Chicago Sun-Times.
  9. Travers, Peter; Travers, Peter (5 March 1999). "Analyze This".
  10. Franklin, Nancy (22 March 1999). "The Hit Man's Burden" – via www.newyorker.com.
  11. "'Analyze This': Mobster With Panic Attacks Meets Therapist". archive.nytimes.com.
  12. McCarthy, Todd; McCarthy, Todd (22 February 1999). "Analyze This".
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