DONNIE BRASCO
Director: Mike Newell Writers: Paul Attanasio, based on the book by Joseph Pistone and Richard Woodley Producers: Mark Johnson, Barry Levinson, Louis DiGiamo, and Gail Mutrux
Characters: Johnny Depp - Donnie Brasco/Joe Pistone Al Pacino - Lefty Ruggiero Michael Madsen - Sonny Black Anne Heche - Maggie Pistone Bruno Kirby - Nicky
Review:
This is a truly excellent film. Everyone in the movie has a very good showing, but for me Al Pacino's is most notable -- I tend to dislike his characteristic repugnantly overblown performances, though they seem to please most people. That's why his role in this movie is so refreshing. I read once that the director was "able to coax a subdued performance" from him, and that is exactly what happened -- he is utterly believable (not to mention touching) in this role as an aging gangster who has been overlooked and underappreciated by his superiors.
Actually, "subdued" is a good word for the whole movie. It's more of a character study than anything else -- Donnie/Joe (Depp)'s relationships with Lefty (Pacino) and Maggie (Heche), his wife, are the focus of the film. Though, as can be expected with a movie of this genre, there are a few brief explosions of violence, they are perhaps less frequent and appalling than those of "Casino" or "Goodfellas", two movies that I feel are bettered by this film.
The basics of the plot are simple: Joe Pistone is an FBI agent posing as a jeweller named Donnie Brasco. He meets a mobster named Lefty Ruggiero, who vouches for him and gains Donnie enterance to his crime family. Through the course of the film, they form a strong relationship that eventually threatens Joe's marriage as well as both of their lives. Also definitely worth noting: It's a true story, based on the book by Joe Pistone. I don't want to give away too much about the story -- I haven't revealed anything that isn't printed on the back of the DVD.
I really think this movie is best experienced with little or no background. I didn't know anything at all about it before I saw it, and I went in with pretty low expectations (mostly because I was afraid we were going to get a Heat ("WhaddayaGOT?!") performance out of Pacino). I had thought Depp's performance might salvage the film, but really everyone in it is superb.
It's an excellent movie, and it really looks good, too.
- John Roberdeau
- john@dvdfuture.com
- http://www.dvdfuture.com/
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