not your average mobster movie

Rating: 10/10 (23 January 2004)

I have no particular interest in mobsters or their movies, but I make an exception for "Donnie Brasco." I'm a sucker for true stories, and this is one of the wildest ones out there; I can hardly believe that an FBI agent so effectively infiltrated the mob, but apparently he did, and it makes for great drama.
There's a bit of everything in this movie. We see Agent Pistone's developing relationship with hit-man Lefty (played to perfection by a hilarious Pacino), his domestic troubles, and his struggle to stay connected with the FBI as his fellow agents keep letting him down. There's even a lion thrown in the mix for good measure; can you beat that?
Although there are mobster trappings all over this movie, it's essentially a compelling story of friendship and betrayal that would work even without the guns and slang and seedy New York locales. Unlike so many other movies, it doesn't rely on criminals being intrinsically fascinating; it makes them fascinating with genuine character development. And that's what won me over.