Highly Engrossing

Rating: 9/10 (15 December 2007)

Donnie Brasco is a very unique kind of a gangster movie with complex characterization & great acting performances. Its characters are etched in great details. An undercover FBI agent Joseph Pistone (Johnny Depp) pretends to be a small time thug (Donnie Brasco) to expose the city mafia. He makes an impression on Lefty (Al Pacino) and manages to break into his gang. Lefty is a gangster who is past his prime & losing his hold. He is overstepped by Sonny Black as the leader of the gang. Donnie wins over the confidence of both Lefty & Sonny Black and moves up the ladder at the expense of Lefty's hold in the gang. Meanwhile his personal life is in ruins because of the demands of his profession.
The heart of the movie is the relationship that Donnie forms with Lefty over the course of his stay with him. He develops a bond with him and yearns to get him of the hook. He also feels guilty about the fact that he was betraying Lefty's confidence. He begins to get disgusted with his job because of this & also his family reasons as his wife is considering a divorce.The turmoil that he goes through is very appropriately presented.
The performances of all the main characters are breathtaking. Both Al & Johnny are really good at their roles. Al for a change is in a demure role aptly contradicting the critics who feel that he plays only those meaty over the top roles. Equally impressive is Michael Madsen who just fits into this role with such fluidity. A one of a kind flick for the movie enthusiasts.