Tense, Dramatic & Moving

Rating: 9/10 (16 September 2015)

With its violence, action sequences and struggles for power between different factions of the Mafia, "Donnie Brasco" superficially appears to be a typical gangster movie. In reality, however, it's a tense, dramatic and moving account of a powerful friendship that develops between two men who, in normal circumstances, would regard each other as dangerous enemies. The fact that there's a deception at the heart of their relationship means that it will inevitably end in betrayal and the knowledge of this, causes one of the men to become painfully conflicted.
As it's based on the true story of an undercover FBI agent who infiltrated the New York City mob in the late-1970s, this movie is predictably gritty, realistic and fascinating to watch. It's also particularly well-written with a strong focus on its characters and brilliantly captures the look and atmosphere of the period in which it's set.
When jewel fence Donnie Brasco (Johnny Depp) is approached by aging Mafioso, Benjamin "Lefty" Ruggiero (Al Pacino), he tells the older man that the diamond he's interested in selling is a "fugazi" and readily goes with him to see the man who sold him the fake. At the meeting, Donnie beats up the dealer and relieves him of his Porsche to compensate Lefty for his financial loss. Suitably impressed, Lefty starts to teach Donnie about all aspects of life in the Mafia and advises him on how to dress, talk and keep his money in a roll if he wants to eventually become a "made guy".
Hit-man Lefty, who introduces Donnie to a series of other mobsters, resents the fact that he still hasn't been "upped" despite giving 30 years of loyal service to the mob during which he'd personally "clipped" 26 guys. What he doesn't realise is that Donnie is actually undercover FBI agent Joe Pistone who's systematically collecting evidence against the mob at the same time as he's rising through the ranks of the criminal organisation. Joe's total immersion in his gangster identity causes him a great deal of internal torment as he finds himself developing the characteristics of the men he's trying to bring to justice and growing further apart from his wife, his three daughters and his employers.
Joe then experiences more pressure when his FBI bosses want him to tie up his work with that of another agent who's operating in Miami, Florida. Luckily, when Joe tells his criminal counterparts that there are good business opportunities in Florida which the mob could usefully capitalise on, his observation is well accepted and plans follow for him and Lefty to run a nightclub in the area. Things go badly wrong after the club is raided by the police on its opening night and a shootout involving a number of gangsters follows. The closer Joe gets to the end of his mission, the more troubled he becomes about what'll happen to his mentor when his cover is eventually blown, because Mafia rules dictate that Lefty, as Joe's sponsor, would have to pay for his error of judgement with his life.
There's a powerful tension that runs through this movie that's fuelled by the constant danger that Pistone's in, his estrangement from his family and the anxiety and guilt that he feels about the inevitable consequences of his betrayal of Lefty. There's also a deep sense of sadness, as he knows there's nothing he can do to change the unstoppable direction of travel in which events are moving.
The quality of the story in this movie is matched by some top class acting with Pacino and Depp excelling in their roles. Johnny Depp's character presents a particular challenge because most of the time he's practising a deception which means that he needs to keep his natural body language under control. The subtle way in which Depp conveys what he needs to, within these constraints, is really impressive and contrasts strongly with some of his outbursts (e.g. in the Japanese restaurant) when he seemingly responds to a particular situation more spontaneously.
Al Pacino is sensational as a man who's been repeatedly passed over for advancement within the mob and lives with cancer, a drug-addicted son and a good deal of fear. The solace he finds in his friendship with Donnie is profound and his ability to pass on his knowledge to his protégé is rewarding and a counter-balance to the many disappointments in his life.
"Donnie Brasco" ends appropriately on a rather poignant note, as it illustrates how both its main characters are grossly under-appreciated and poorly rewarded by their respective bosses.