Inevitably compared to Goodfellas, Mike Newell's 1997 effort, Donnie Brasco is just as good as Scorcese's film in many regards. The performances, including Johnny Depp as the title character and Al Pacino as his wretched wise guy pal, are flawless, with Depp great as the undercover FBI agent and Pacino in excellent form as Benjamin Lefty' Ruggiero. A less romanticised, more low-key look at mob life, Donnie Brasco follows Special Agent Joseph Piston, known to the mafia as Donnie Brasco, a friend of Lefty's who, unbeknownst to his mob friends, is collecting enough evidence to put them all away for many years. Too late, Lefty and his colleagues realise they've been had. Also coming to an overdue realisation is Joseph/Donnie who, too late, recognises his genuine affection for down and out Lefty and the predicament he's placed him in by befriending him. There are some justifications as to the Goodfellas comparisons, however: Bruno Kirby's Nicky sounds eerily like Joe Pesci's Tommy DeVito, even encompassing a similar kind of character. Moreover, the gaudy excess of Goodfellas is also on display Donnie Brasco, with the similar period setting and plot points (the bringing down of the mafia). However, the comparisons should probably end there, as they are two different films. In one of the funnier moments of the film (albeit, darkly humourous), Lefty (Pacino) laments to Donnie about being left out of the hit on their boss. This kind of tragicomedy also makes Pacino's character the more sympathetic of the two, I think. Lefty's greatest dream is to board a boat and escape his way of life. Although he underplays his role, Pacino still manages to overshadow every scene he's in. As a true story, it's also pretty fascinating; with the closing credits, we learn that the real Joseph Pistone, through his undercover work, ensured that 200 indictments and 100 convictions brought against the mob. An achievement for Pistone
just like the film is for Newell. 8/10
Review of Donnie Brasco
