Ben Sobel (Billy Crystal) is a modest New York psychiatrist, living a perfectly non-eventful life. A minor car accident brings into his office someone quite out of the ordinary, Paul Vitti (Robert De Niro). Vitti is not only one of the most powerful gangsters in New York, but he stands every chance of becoming the East Coast Godfather. Yet he is suffering from a panic syndrome with physical stress disorders, fits of crying, nightmares. To put it mildly, someone in his position is not allowed such weaknesses. The meeting of the big Mafia heads is a mere fortnight away and his rivals are trying to kill him.

Analyze This director and screenwriter Harold Ramis once again shows his skills at comedy writing having co-signed screenplays such as National Lampoon's Animal House, Ghostbusters and Groundhog Day.

Sobel: You wanted to kill your father...

Vitti: Why would I want that?

Sobel: You quarreled, he was after you and you rejected his authority...The Oedipus complex.

Vitti: Translation?

Sobel: Oedipus, a Greek who killed his father in order to marry his mother.

Vitti: Those Greeks!

Sobel: It's a natural instinct. Boys want to replace their fathers in order to have their mothers.

Vitti: Sleep with my mother? Are you crazy? Have you ever seen my mother?

Analyze This is a comedy that successfully balances realism, comedy, drama and quips.

Harold Ramis: "I would never make a movie to joke about violence, that is why I felt it necessary to maintain a certain degree of realism. Paul Vitti ends up confronting his neurosis and thereby stops the cycle of violence. It was important to relay this message without forgetting our first ambition: to make the audience laugh."

Billy Crystal: Ben Sobel

Billy Crystal has had his hands in screenwriting, producing, directing, but above all is one of America's popular comics. He grew up in a family of musicians and spent most of his youth in the world of jazz. He played the first "gay" in the history of US television in the series Soap, and joined the satirical Saturday Night Live team in 1984. As a presenter, he presented six Academy Award ceremonies. He also received many awards: five Emmies, six American Comedy Awards...

Crystal is probably best known for his role in When Harry Met Sally by Rob Reiner. He has worked with Peter Hyams - Running Scared, Danny DeVito - Throw Momma From the Train, Ron Underwood - City Slickers, Kenneth Branagh - Hamlet, Woody Allen - Deconstructing Harry.

Billy Crystal talking about the duo Crystal/De Niro

"Analyze This is the meeting between a comic who learned to be an actor via comedy and a dramatic actor who discovered comedy via comic roles."

Robert De Niro: Paul Vitti

Robert De Niro - who needs no introduction - is one of America's legendary actors known worldwide for his roles in The Godfather, Part II (Oscar award), Taxi Driver, The Last Tycoon, New York, New York, The Deer Hunter, Raging Bull (Oscar award) and on and on. Analyze This is his 53rd film. Co-founder of the production company, Tribeca, he has produced a dozen of films since its opening in 1988. His directing debut, A Bronx Tale, was well received by the critics.

De Niro about his role in Analyze This
"The concept of Analyze This was attractive to me and it seemed as if it was high time to make fun of my proper person a bit."