Donnie Brasco review

 Number 517 on the top 1000 films of all time is Mike Newell's 1997 crime-drama 'Donnie Brasco.'

Based on the true story, Donnie Brasco follows FBI agent Joseph Pistone (Johnny Depp) as he infiltrates the New York mob. He assumes the alias of Donnie Brasco and befriends Mafia hitman Benjamin "Lefty" Ruggerio (Al Pacino.) However, as Brasco grows closer with Lefty and the mob, he soon finds his professional and personal lives starting to blur.

Johnny Depp is now so well-known for playing whacky, off-the-wall characters, it's difficult to imagine him as anything else. Edward Scissorhands, Willy Wonka, the Mad Hatter, Captain Jack Sparrow...need I go on? But the eighties and nineties proved what a versatile actor he can be. Donnie Brasco is a character rule by conflict. Deeply unsatisfied with his home life, he throws himself into his undercover work, putting a strain on his already tenuous marriage. And to remain convincing to Lefty and the rest of the mobsters, Brasco has to participate in plenty of criminal activities. This creates its own array of personal dilemmas and Depp plays the conflict well.

Although, I would argue that his relationship with his wife Maggie (Anne Heche) was quite contrived. Their marriage becomes rocky as Brasco's work begins to take over. One second they are fighting and the next they were making up. This seemed forced and unnatural. It was almost like it was what writer Paul Attanasio wanted to happen instead of what should happen. But I did enjoy the little girls who played Brasco's daughters. They only had small parts, but they were played well. They become progressively more quiet, distant and withdrawn, emphasising the impact that Brasco's absent behaviour is having on them.

As for Al Pacino, I've seen him play so many grizzled, old gangsters that this was just another role for him. Don't get me wrong, he does them well, but the role of Lefty wasn't anything special. I was more impressed by Michael Madsen who played the fearsome mob boss Sonny Black. He had such an imposing presence that he was scary in every scene he was in.

Donnie Brasco was certainly an enjoyable film. And it proved that Johnny Depp can play more than the whacky, off-beat characters he's so well-known for.