Donnie Brasco

Starring: Al Pacino, Johnny Depp, Michael Madsen, Bruno Kirby, James Russo, Anne Heche, Zeljko Ivanek, Gerry Becker, Gretchen Mol, Tim Blake Nelson, Paul Giamatti
Directed by: Mike Newell
Rating: R
Genre: Drama
1997

Times Seen:
Tim: 2

Summary: An FBI Agent (Johnny Depp) goes undercover to infiltrate a deadly mob.

Review:

Tim: I've seen both the theatrical and extended cuts of Donnie Brasco and both are enjoyable, well made movies. I'm not sure one is better than the other. Mike Newell's film tells a fascinating story about an undercover FBI agent who sacrifices so much (including the idea of who he really is) to infiltrate the mafia. It's a really good movie, but it doesn't reach the heights of some of the greatest mobster movies.

This film, based on a true story, may be somewhat constrained by the actual events. It has some intense moments, but it also feels like it concerns mostly lower-level mobsters. There's not a feeling that it goes all that high up. Sonny is at the top of the pyramid, but besides ruthlessness, he's not portrayed as an impressive mob boss. That somewhat limits the awe we might have felt. The movie is interesting, but it feels like a more intimate story than an epic one. The positive side of this is that we get a really detailed look at what it's like to be part of the mafia. That's the film's biggest strength- from the accents, the sayings, the unspoken rules- it's fascinating to be immersed into this world. Like Johnny Depp's character, we get sucked into the world as well.

The cast is good, but mob movies have assembled better casts before. Depp is good in the lead role. He's believable in both distinct aspects of his life- we believe him as an FBI agent and family man, as well as a mobster. It's a restrained performance, but one of his better ones. Al Pacino is fantastic in his role. Pacino is one of the all-time great actors and he delivers an exceptional performance here. His role was critical because he made you understand why Depp's character would start to develop feelings of loyalty to Pacino's. Pacino is able to make that believable through his performance. I've never been a big fan of Michael Madsen. I thought he was fine here, but the movie would have been better with a stronger actor in his seat. Bruno Kirby adds in a nice supporting performance. Anne Heche got to do more than usual when someone plays "the wife", and her meatier scenes made the movie better. Zeljko Ivanek always makes movies better. I had a lot of fun seeing Tim Blake Nelson and Paul Giamatti in minuscule roles- but their scene together was a good one. As a whole, the cast is strong, but not especially noteworthy.

This movie was nominated for 1 Academy Award, for Best Adapted Screenplay. That was deserving, because the script is strong, as it pulls us into this world. On both viewings of this film, I felt like it was a little long (extended cut notwithstanding) and it didn't move quite as quickly as it needed to. The movie can feel a bit repetitive. We do get many scenes that feel similar to earlier scenes. It gives the movie more a circular feeling than one characterized by a sense of momentum.

Even still, Donnie Brasco is a fascinating, detailed film. I really enjoyed it. I don't often watch movies more than once, but this is a film I'm glad I have seen twice.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Carlito's Way, Serpico, The Untouchables