It's the 70s in New York and Donnie Brasco, a young jewels experts, gets pulled into the mafia by an ageing gangster named Lefty. Donnie is introduced to people, given responsibilities, allowed in the know about the rules of the crime family, all that jazz. But not everyone is as they seem and soon inner quarrelling threatens the integrity of the family.Watching this film feels slightly weird if you've seen Goodfellas, like I have. Because they're eerily similar in their portrayal of mafia. Like scene for scene similar. There's talk about made men, my friend versus our friend, all that stuff. They even exchange wads of cash for Christmas, just like in Goodfellas. I get that that is actually how the mafia just might work, but it's still weird how much stuff is pulled from that movie. Because the stories are not all that similar at all. Goodfellas is about mafia from the point of view of mafia, whereas this is about infiltration, examining the mafia from the point of view of an intruder.And it's a good movie all around. Johnny Depp and Al Pacino are both powerhouse actors, despite this being relatively early on in Depp's career. The story is interesting, the gangster world created is even more interesting and it just has style to it. Goodfellas perhaps portrayed the lure of mafia better, but this allows us to see the ugly underbelly of that.All in all worth a watch for all gangster movie fans. It has it all.

FBI Agent Joe Pistone goes undercover in a section of the New York City mob. Using the name Donnie Brasco, he befriends mafioso Benjamin 'Lefty' Ruggiero. As time goes by, Pistone begins to identify with, and care for his mafia friends, especially Lefty. Pistone is married and has children, but he is away for weeks or months at a time, eventually leading to the break up of his marriage. When he stops reporting to the FBI, his superiors decide the time has come to pull the plug on the operation......Back when this was first released, I thought this was one of the most interesting, well acted crime thrillers I'd ever seen. It was unlike Depp to star in something that appeared to be so mainstream, and the thought of Pacino playing an empathetic protagonist seemed like the perfect idea.Seeing it with fresh eyes nearly twenty years later, it's clear that Newell wanted to make his Goodfellas, and Pacino was his ticket to success.It has the music, it has the great cast, and it has the unpredictable violence. But what it doesn't have, is the passion that Scorcese put into that masterpiece, and the biggest problem with the film is Pacino.He isn't terrible, it's just that he appears to be doing nothing more than parody, and if he says 'forget about it' once, he must say it literally 70-80 times. And that's just him.There is one scene where Depp is discussing with, of all people Paul Giamatti, and Tim Blake-Nelson the different ways of saying 'forget about it' and what it connotes to, and it's a wonder that they keep straight faces throughout.Thank goodness for Madsen, who is clearly the best thing in the film, and again, this is lazy casting. But thank heavens this was the time in his career when he actually put in a good performance, and whenever he's on screen, the film comes alive.Pistone is portrayed as a selfish individual, yes he gets in too deep, but there's no reason to act like a child every time you interact with the real world.So all in all, it's not terrible, it's just nowhere near as good as it thinks it is, hence why you never really see it quoted like the film it's trying to be.It's been forgot about.

When you have two seasoned actors who have given legendary performances over the course of their careers, you are guaranteed to have a stellar movie. In Donnie Brasco, we have Johnny Depp and Al Pacino in the leading roles that is based on the real-life Johnny Pistone, an undercover FBI agent who infiltrates the mafia in order to gain evidence that lead to their arrests. It is a typical mafia movie that is inspired by Goodfellas. We get to see the human side of these horrible people. Johnny Depp is unbelievably good as he is laconic yet assertive and someone who always has the sense of control. A truly mesmerizing performance that must be one of the best seen in modern cinema. Al Pacino plays a real life gangster Lefty. Pacino plays his role with his usual flair and propensity to scream.The story is quite fulfilling and shows the effects that a person leading a double life has. It does not intend to show Johnny Pistone as a hero but as a regular person who is devoted to his job.Donnie Brasco is a must-watch due to its chillingly realistic depiction of the ruthless mafia.

Donnie Brasco (1997): Dir: Mike Newell / Cast: Johnny Depp, Al Pacino, Anne Heche, Michael Madsen, Bruno Kirby: Containing not a shred of originality and looks like every other gangster film. Johnny Depp plays Donnie Brasco, an undercover cop getting caught up in the crime. Graphic scene includes bodies being sawn up. Conclusion is pretty obvious. Director Mike Newell is aided by good locations. Depp is in fine form as Brasco drawn into crime without regret or acknowledgement. Al Pacino is in his right element as a mob boss who takes in Brasco like a son until certain facts eventually surface. Anne Heche plays Brasco's wife who struggles to maintain his true identity but unfortunately the role is pretty predictable and one note . Michael Madsen is typecast as a mobster. He was great in this sort of role in Reservoir Dogs but here he is doing nothing new. In fact nothing about the supporting roles uphold any belief that this is anything other than a routine gangster film. It is a who's who in gangster casting and it is a weak element in the film. Formula and cliché with superb climax. It is well crafted but contains all the elements seen in countless other films of its kind. It is the performances by Depp and Pacino that make this outing better than it might have been in lesser hands. This is what you call a glorious familiarity, or perhaps everybody shares the same story in the mob. Score: 7 / 10