Parker Lewis
Donnie Brasco kicked off the Donnie series in 1997, with Donnie Darko following four years later. One morbid scene was the much-discussed Japanese restaurant where Donnie and his cronies beat up the maitre'd because he insisted Donnie remove his shoes. I wonder what the casting call was for this, an actor of Asian appearance, preferably nerdy and flabby looking, willing to take a few blows for verisimilitude. I mean really, thankfully Donnie and his cronies didn't take their anger to a McDonald's lest Ronald be beaten up in the presence of Mayor McCheese and the rest of the McDonald's gang. Really, can you imagine if this incident had taken place in a German beerhouse? I don't think so...I imagine the beefy ultra-nationalists in the beerhouse wouldn't take any crap from Brasco et al.
FlashCallahan
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.
851222
Greetings from Lithuania."Donnie Brasco" (1997) is a sure killer gangster movie. It features great performances from all involved, especially as expected by two leads, but supporting actors do a great job as well. It tells a real story, and that is why this movie is so powerful. I won't go into details, but plot here is much more then in other gangster movies because it is real, well most of it. It is impossible to imagine what one might feel when every single minute in his job could have been his last - now that's a job for which successful accomplishment a watch a 500$ paycheck looks like a sucker punch in a face and below to say the least. Overall, "Donnie Brasco" is superbly involving and great gangster movie. It has many true things to say about mafia and friendship. Great true cinema.
vishaal811
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.
AD
