A wise guy's always right even when he's wrong, he's right.

Rating: 8/10 (10 March 2010)

Donnie Brasco is one of the last true old school style gangster films. I think it's more a gangster film than a cop drama. And it definitely has some kind of Godfather-Goodfellas aura. Tough mobsters making their everyday living. Only with this small exception that Donnie Brasco doesn't praise the violence and criminal lifestyle like The Godfather. All I knew about Donnie Brasco the movie that it was very acclaimed film with great cast from director I hadn't heard anything of. I can't say that Donnie Brasco is one of the greatest movies I have ever seen but it's definitely darn good movie.
And Donnie Brasco has everything that one darn good movie needs: great story and screenplay, good directing and absolutely terrific cast. As much as I enjoy everything Al Pacino does, I have to say that Lefty is his best performance alongside Don Corleone (The Godfather) and Vincent Hanna (Heat). There is some depth in his performance. A beaten and disappointed man after all those years serving the family with the commitment and still being a running dog. He was tough man seen a lot in his life and at the same time he was a bit naive.
Johnny Depp was enthralling as always. And his performance as Donnie/Joe definitely belongs into the list of his greatest.
Michael Madsen is always good to see in a good movie. Unfortunately, it seems like this was one of his last good performances in his career (last ones are in Kill Bill and Sin City).
Soundtrack is other thing I liked a lot. Original score that reminded bit Nino Rota's The Godfather score was mixed with the 70's disco. Very cool actually.
Donnie Brasco is film that I would recommend. It's smooth and thrilling and you don't realize where those two and half hours gone. And it probably stays as Mike Newell's best film.
8,4 out of 10.