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In the same year that a hit cable television series, The Sopranos, successfully mined the same premise, this comedy about a mobster seeking advice from a psychiatrist was a box office winner for director Harold Ramis. Billy Crystal stars as Dr. Ben Sobel, a New York shrink who's becoming a little bored with his upscale but neurotic clientele. Into Sobel's practice comes a guy with legitimate problems, Mafia kingpin Paul Viti (Robert DeNiro), a godfather who is being reduced to tears and panic attacks by stress and his guilt over his beloved father's assassination. Intimidated but also fascinated by Viti, Dr. Sobel becomes frustrated when his mob boss patient becomes a full-time occupation, as Viti summons the psychiatrist for his professional help at all hours and in all places, even including the doctor's Florida wedding to TV reporter Laura MacNamara (Lisa Kudrow). In the meantime, a power struggle is brewing with Viti's long-time rival Primo Sidone (Chazz Palminteri), but Viti begins employing the feel-good self-help jargon and techniques he's learned from Dr. Sobel to keep his enemy off balance. Just as the therapist and his powerful patient are making breakthroughs, the FBI attempts to persuade Sobel that Viti is going to have him murdered, leading to a nearly lethal misunderstanding. more..
Director: Harold Ramis
Starring: Billy Crystal,Robert De Niro, Lisa Kudrow, Joe Viterelli,Chazz Palminteri
More than a high concept stretched to feature length. This is a funny and extremely satisfying comedy, the best in a while.
Crystal turns in his best (read: least sappy) performance in ages, getting through an entire movie -- most of it, anyway -- without mugging.
Watching De Niro take Paul through his first panic attack ("I'm crying like a woman") is an unalloyed joy.
As he demonstrated in "Groundhog Day," Ramis knows how to handle a high-concept story with unusual cleverness, and he does it again here. It helps to no end that De Niro and Crystal, despite their obvious differences, are perfectly in tune.
Ramis...does extract every last yuk from this lively clash of id and superego, this spoofy buddies' odyssey from underworld to Prozac nation.
Top Box Office Films
ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards (2000)
Best Edited Feature Film - Comedy or Musical
American Cinema Editors (2000)
Funniest Motion Picture
American Comedy Awards (2000)
Favorite Comedy Team
Blockbuster Entertainment Awards (2000)
Best Motion Picture - Comedy/Musical
Golden Globes (2000)
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