Review of Donnie Brasco (1997) by Ben F — 24 Feb 2010

"Donnie Brasco", is definitely overall a top notch mob movie. Johnny Depp and Al Pacino give two great performances, and the way the film feels is just so real, that it's hard not to look away.

Joe Pistone (Depp) is an undercover agent with the FBI. He goes undercover to infiltrate the mob, and Lefty Ruggiero (Al Pacino) vouches for him. Over time, Pistone begins to feel more and more emotionally tied to his undercover operations, and problems with his family, as well as the people around him, begin to alter rapidly. Considering this film was based on a true story, it was adapted pretty well, and it certainly kept me entertained. You couldn't have asked for anything better in this department.

But as I said before, certainly the best thing to come out of this movie was the acting. The acting is just so real to me. It doesn't seem like anyone in the movie is trying to be over dramatic, rather, they are simply reading the lines they are giving, with true human emotion. It's really fun to see films like this, because it's like your watching something pure, rather than recycled Hollywood acting.

It was really interesting to see Depp's emotion change over time. I felt that how the characters in the film were changing was executed brilliantly, and it felt like I was changing with them. The sense of anger, sorrow, and especially jealousy just permeated the screen, and kept me entertained throughout. It's truly a treat to see stuff like that.

I can't really think of anything else to say. Overall, "Donnie Brasco" was a good mob movie. Great acting, great execution, and certainly entertaining from beginning to end.