Certification. 18
Running Time. 2 hours 7 mins
Director. Mike Newell
Cast. Johnny Depp, Anne Heche, Bruno Kirby, Michael Madsen, Al Pacino, James Russo.
Rating. 68%
The casting of Al Pacino in a gangster film is hardly surprising, but the choice of Mike Newell as the director of said film is infinitely more so. The acclaimed director has produced a somewhat eclectic back catalogue since directing the quintessential British romantic comedy Four Weddings And A Funeral in 1994. In truth, Donnie Brasco could easily have been handed to the likes of Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese or Quentin Tarantino and no one would have batted an eyelid, but Mike Newell?
Where Newell succeeds, is by drawing out a subdued and introspective performance from Al Pacino, as the battered and bruised mobster, Benjamin Ruggiero (also known as Lefty). Pacino presents Lefty as a tragic minion, a world-weary character devoid of drive and one who earns our pity, if not our sympathy.
Donnie Brasco is based on the true story of FBI agent, Joe Pistone (Johnny Depp) who infiltrated a New York crime syndicate in the late 1970s. A solid script and rich, accurate dialogue add to the authenticity of the film. Donnie Brasco is an unglamourised account of a familiar storyline - less operatic and more credible than many of its counterparts.
Set against a backdrop of crime and violence, like many of the best examples in this genre, the film is primarily about family and relationships. Much of the film focuses on the relationship between the young Donnie Brasco and the surrogate father figure of Lefty. Less time is spent on supporting characters - Sonny Black (Michael Madsen), Nicky Santora (Bruno Kirby) and Paulie (James Russo) - and Donnie's rise through the ranks.
Because Donnie Brasco focuses on the characters, and the genuine chemistry between the two lead actors, the film makes for compelling viewing. Not quite to the same degree as Jimmy Conway (Robert De Niro) and Henry Hill (Ray Liotta) in Goodfellas.
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