Written by Joseph D. Pistone, Richard Woodley, and Paul Attanasio
Directed by Mike Newell

I doubt that American cinema has been more fascinated by any subject than it has by the mafia. The way it’s often been portrayed, you would think there were wall-to-wall gangsters all over the Northeast, especially in New York City.

Donnie Brasco is another such film. Johnny Depp portrays FBI agent Joe Pistone. He’s assigned to pose as jewel broker Donnie Brasco to infiltrate a mob family. He soon attaches himself to hitman Lefty Ruggiero (portrayed by Al Pacino).  Lefty is in his twilight years with the Family and is having regrets about his status in the business. He sees the quick-witted Donnie as a way to elevate his own status as well as leave something of a legacy behind him.

Pistone is totally immersed in the role of Brasco. However, this takes a toll on his home life. He has a wife and three daughters at home, and he is keeping away from his professional life. When he misses Christmas with them, he can’t even explain to his wife what kept him away.

This movie was at a time before Johnny Depp started taking on some of the real eccentric roles he’s played. The character of the undercover agent is one of the more grounded that he’s taken on and really showcases his talent without getting into the zaniness that has permeated many of his roles since. Pistone/Brasco is conflicted on so many levels. He’s torn between duty, his home life, and, to a certain extent, the lifestyle that being in the mob allows him to have. At the same time, he seems to really forge a bond with Lefty outside of what he’s assigned to do.

However, being true to his role as an agent will likely mean the end for Lefty, one way or another.

Outside of The Godfather, this is probably the role I’ve liked Pacino best in. Too many times, he ends up being bombastic and larger-than-life. Here, he’s more subdued, and I enjoyed his performance much more. He also lets Depp grab the spotlight as the younger agent and the up-and-coming member of the family. Lefty seems to have way more baggage than Brasco, although he doesn’t know about the agent’s true home life. I knew from the start that Lefty was a hit-man with a significant number of kills under his belt, but at the same time, I felt sympathy for hi,m especially as the film wore on. Pacino and Depp go a long way to creating that believable bond between them.

Credit goes to Director Mike Newell, who manages to keep both actors who have become known for their energetic performances reined in a bit. Instead of long, drawn-out shouting matches at each other when events occur, most of the emotional depth to the scene is detailed with subtle nuances, such as Brasco just showing up at Lefty’s apartment during the holidays when he is about to sit down to a TV dinner. At the same time, Brasco/Pistone is dealing with his own home life and the pressures there. He seems envious of Lefty and feels pity for him at the same time.

I have never liked Anne Heche, but this role seems tailor-made for her. I am surprised she wasn’t nominated for a supporting actress Oscar. The year 1998 had a lot of competition with the likes of Titanic and L.A. Confidential. Bruno Kirby and Michael Madsen are terrific on the periphery as two of the gangsters Left and Brasco are involved with.

The cinematography is terrific and goes a long way to creating the setting of the late 1970s New York. A foray to Florida is handled well, too, and looks the way I remember it at the time. The details of the era are recreated nearly perfectly. This was a time before the mob in New York was, for the most par,t systematically disassembled, and Donnie Brasco goes a long way to showing how that was accomplished. At the same time, the central relationship of the film humanizes the people involved, perhaps more than they deserve.

The DVD release has a significant number of extras. The commentary with Director Mike Newell is excellent. The futurities are great, especially the interviews with the real Joe Pistone, who is still under witness protection with a half-million dollar bounty on his head by those he exposed.

Whether you are just looking for terrific performances by Depp and Pacino or if you’re a fan of mafia films, you’ll enjoy Donnie Brasco. It’s a very good film that doesn’t create larger-than-life personalities. The two lead characters are down-to-earth and sympathetic, giving a “real” feeling to the whole setting. It would definitely be in the top five mafia pictures I’ve seen.


SPECIAL FEATURES: 

• Commentary with Director Mike Newell 
• Exclusive Featurette – “Donnie Brasco: Out from the Shadows” 
• Deleted Scenes with Optional Commentary 
• Original Featurette 
• Photo Gallery 
• Talent Files 
• Theatrical Trailers