Review of Donnie Brasco (1997) by Metaflix — 12 Nov 2017

I've probably watched 'Donnie Brasco' a dozen times, but it only occurred to me after yet another viewing how often director Mike Newell features shots of Donnie and Lefty in a car crossing one of New York City's numerous bridges.

Stylistically, it makes sense. It's a perfect way to capture the ruggedness of the steel girders, the grandeur of the East River, and the magnificence of the city's world-renowned skyline off in the distance, all in a single sequence.

However, one must also consider that the bridges serve a more symbolic purpose. Donnie--an undercover FBI agent--successfully infiltrates the Bonanno crime family, and in doing so slowly transitions from an upstanding G-man into a gangster. Thus the bridges are also used as a metaphor--a way to physically manifest his crossing over from good to bad.

'Donnie Brasco' does so many of the big things right, not least of all Al Pacino's extraordinary performance. But it's the little things that make the film endlessly re-watchable, and I'm happy to have discovered another detail that can be added to the list.