The only problems Ben Sobol has are that his patient list is full of boring individuals who whine to him about their petty problems, and his father is a far more successful psychiatrist than he is. Apart from that, he's a happy guy, with a son from his first marriage and a fiancee who he is about to marry. He's all set for a happy quiet life, when one evening he has a minor car accident in which he meets Vitti's bodyguard Jelly (played by Joseph Viterelli). When Ben gives Jelly his card, Jelly passes it to his boss and the next thing Ben knows is that Vitti is in his office demanding to be cured of his panic attacks right now, before an important mob meeting in two weeks time. Ben's life will never be the same again.
Analyze This is a comedy and as such it's very funny indeed, almost too funny, because the laughter in the cinema made it difficult for me to hear the dialogue. But it's not just a comedy, it also has a serious message. The problems and violence we experience today are largely caused by unresolved emotions like anger, fear and guilt, and this is so whether you're a teenage thug or a middle-aged mobster. But try telling that to Paul Vitti! He's clueless about things emotional, he only knows about guns and harsh language. Part of the appeal of the film is in Ben's attempts to get Paul to explain how he feels about his childhood, his parents and so on, and Ben's probing questions only serve to irritate the gangster more and more. Not something that you really want to do, but Ben has no choice, he's been hired whether he likes it or not. It seems like a no-win situation, but it isn't as you'll find out if you go and see the film.
All in all, I liked this film a lot, although I have to say that seeing Robert De Niro in tears was a little strange.