Donnie Brasco

Rating: 5/10 (4 July 2020)

I am confident I had already seen this movie during my time at college, but for some reason, I hadn't written a film review for it, and I couldn't remember anything about it, so I watched it again, directed by Mike Newell (Four Weddings and a Funeral, Mona Lisa Smile, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire). Based on a true story, in 1970s New York City, aging gangster Lefty (Al Pacino) is one of the Bonanno crime family. He is introduced to a jewel thief named Donnie Brasco (Johnny Depp), and is impressed with him. Lefty teaches Donnie the rules of the Mafia and introduces him to several made men, including Sonny (Michael Madsen), Nicky (When Harry Met Sally's Bruno Kirby), and Sonny Red (Robert Miano). Donnie is in fact Joseph D. Pistone, an undercover FBI agent, with a family. His wife, Maggie (Anne Heche), is constantly concerned about his undercover position, especially being away for weeks or months at a time. After the Bonanno family's street boss is killed, Sonny Red assumes his position. The crew run a series of successful shakedowns and hijackings in Brooklyn, and Pistone infiltrates the Mafia, collecting more information for the FBI via recordings. FBI supervisor Dean Blandford (Gerry Becker) takes an interest in the case and asks Pistone to incorporate Miami-based undercover FBI agent, Richie Gazzo (Rocco Sisto), into the Bonanno's operation. Though reluctant, Pistone introduces Sonny and the crew to Richie in Miami, where Donnie and Lefty hope to impress Florida mob boss, Trafficante (Val Avery). There is a point when Sonny angers Lefty for certain business decisions, but they later reconcile when Lefty's son nearly dies of a drug overdose. On the opening of Richie's overtaken nightclub, Miami police raid it, on orders from Trafficante, who was scheming with Sonny Red. Suspecting Sonny Red to be responsible, the crew, without Donnie, kill Sonny Red and two rival mobsters. The crew also kills Nicky, who was found to have been carrying out a narcotics deal and making no payments. Donnie helps with the clean-up of the bodies. With Sonny becoming the new street boss, Donnie is tasked with finding and killing Sonny Red's son, Bruno (Brian Tarantina). At home, Pistone's behaviour becomes increasingly like the criminal he is pretending to be, to the point when a dispute between him his wife becomes physical. With increasing pressure from the FBI to end the operation and make arrests, Donnie tries convincing Lefty to escape his criminal life. Bruno is tracked down, but the yacht he is hiding on has federal connections. Lefty confronts Donnie about his loyalties. At gunpoint, Lefty forces Donnie out to kill Bruno to confirm his loyalties, but FBI agents arrive and apprehend them before any murder can be committed. FBI agents visit Sonny's hangout and reveal Donnie's true identity to him and his crew by showing them photographs of Pistone. Later, Lefty is summoned to a meeting; he leaves behind his valuables so it will be implied that he has died. With his family in attendance, Pistone attends a small private ceremony for his service, after which he is given a medal and a payment. It ends with the information that the evidence collected by "Donnie Brasco" led to over 200 indictments and over 100 convictions. Pistone lives with his family under a new identity in an undisclosed location, and there is a $500,000 open contract on his head. Also starring James Russo as Paulie, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri's Zeljko Ivanek as Tim Curley, Zach Grenier as Dr. Berger, Tim Blake Nelson as FBI Technician, and Paul Giamatti as FBI Technician. Pacino is good as the sleazeball gangster who shows the title character the ropes, and Depp is also good as the undercover agent who becomes the protÃ©gÃ© and unintentionally becomes fond of his mentor, with good support from Madsen, Kirby and others. I am not going to pretend I found everything going on fascinating, there was a lot of "business" chat that went over my head. But the 1970s era is perfectly captured, there are no complaints about the characters and performances, and there are small moments of violence and dodgy deals that got my attention, but I couldn't fully get into it, in my opinion, a reasonable crime drama. It was nominated the Oscar for Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published. Johnny Depp was number 22, and Al Pacino number 1 on The 100 Greatest Movie Stars, Depp was also number 9 on The 100 Greatest Sex Symbols, Pacino was number 26 on The 100 Greatest Pop Culture Icons, and Pacino was number 5 (along with Robert De Niro), and Depp number 2 on The World's Greatest Actor. Worth watching, in my opinion!