Review of Donnie Brasco (1997) by Wololooo — 31 Jul 2012

Based on a true story, Donnie Brasco subverts the glamour and scope of other successful gangster films for a more focused narrative, and the result is a very personal and effective film. The film follows a young FBI agent (Johnny Depp), as he manages to infiltrate a mafia faction through one of its veteran soldiers, Lefty (Al Pacino).

The growing bond between Pacino and Depp's characters plays out beautifully, with both leads giving subtle and low-key, but brilliant performances. The dialogue is witty and sharp, and delivered near-perfectly by the vast majority of the cast.

One element of the film that wasn't so effective was the subplot involving Depp's deteriorating relationship with his wife and family. These scenes seemed necessary, but in my opinion were a little clunky in their execution. While there were some scenes that could have been shortened or cut out entirely (the film coming in to a lengthy 150 minutes), overall Donnie Brasco is a fine gangster flick.