A satirical examination of the serious mafia films of the past several decades, Analyze This is a witty and clever comedy about the seedy underworld of organized crime. Arguably the best mafia parody to hit the big screen, the film showcases Robert De Niro's diversity as actor who can crossover into different genres. His success foreshadows later triumphs in Meet The Parents and Meet The Fockers, where De Niro truly shines and manages to steal the show from comedy master Ben Stiller. While far from the greatest comedy ever written, Analyze This still manages to keep the laughs coming, and as long as the viewer recognizes the film's satirical aims and doesn't take the movie too seriously, it becomes quite an enjoyable experience...

Billy Crystal plays the role of Dr. Ben Sobel, an eminent psychiatrist unchallenged by his patients who is seeking to branch out into more difficult case work. But at the moment, his life is filled with wedding plans (for his impending marriage to a TV reporter), the eavesdropping of his adolescent son (Sobel sees patients in his home), and the reluctance of his parents to attend his own wedding. All of this confusion is further compounded when Ben rams into the back of a black sedan driven by a man named Jelly (Joe Viterelli). The trunk pops open and almost reveals a man inside. Ben gives his card to Jelly who later hands it to his boss Paul Vitti (Robert De Niro).

It turns out Vitti is a notorious mafia boss recently suffering from anxiety attacks, crying bouts, and impotence (screenplay most likely written prior to Viagra hitting the market). Vitti arranges a meeting with Ben, making it clear that he will be his newest patient. Believing Ben can work wonders and is a genius, Vitti forces him to be on call at all times - refusing to recognize his obligation to other patients or his impending wedding. With a meeting of the mafia bosses just two weeks away, Vitti fears that his problems will become known, and he believes Ben can cure him. Meanwhile, Ben's problems are further complicated by the FBI's insistence that he wear a wire Will Vitti discover the wire? Will he kill Ben? Will the mafia bosses kill them both? Analyze This is home to some funny scenes in which we find out all the answers.

The multi-talented Billy Crystal (who has starred in his share of cinema busts) makes one of the high marks of his career with Analyze This. The general chemistry between De Niro and Crystal when their two characters are in a session is onscreen magic. The two work well together, and hopefully they'll appear as colleagues in future films. Analyze This is one of those movies you don't expect to enjoy until you're watching it. But some of the scenes in this film are unsurpassed in their hilarity. As a farce, Analyze This is a funny sequence of events, and that's why the film ranks as a definite must-see...

The DVD Report

This is one of De Niro's BETTER films of recent years.
I confess this film isn't the greatest comedy out there, but it certainly one worth noticing. Billy Crystal and Robert DeNiro are simply hillarious in this film, and the story is one of the most original ideas for a comedy. The film is about this big time mafia boss, Paul Vitti (Robert DeNiro), that needs therapy for his pschological problems, so he consults local therapist Ed Sobel (Billy Crystal) for help. However, sparks fly when Dr. Sobel soon finds himself surounded by men from rival mafia families and policeman hunting him. Unfortunately, this film does suffer from some cliches, some bad stereo typed characterization, and the dialogue wasn't convincing at times, but it doesn't ruin the film. Overall, this film is good for some laughs that the entire family can enjoy.

Raucous comedy about a gangster(Robert DeNiro) who at mid-life is overcome with internal "issues" and the nervous psychiatrist(Billy Crystal) who reluctantly treats him. This film does not quite reach classic status but there are consistent laughs here. DeNiro effectively sends-up the gangster-types that he assayed in more serious films and he and Crystal have good comic chemistry here. Film had the misfortune to be released around the same time that "The Sopranos" premiered but any comparisons of the two are just incidental. Good support here from the late Joe Viterelli as one of DeNiro's henchmen and Chazz Palmintieri as DeNiro's chief rival.

Analyze This and Analyze That are excellent story, crime action/thriller, mafia, doctor help and care Italian Mafia boss Paul Vitti, lots of comedy Italian mafia

Anaylze This and Anaylze That are fanastic comedy Italian Mafia movies.

From the comments I heard from my friends, I thought this would be a funnier movie. It is supposed to be a comedy about the relation between a Mafia leader and a shrink. It could have been better than this. Only Robert Di Niro made me laugh in this movie.