Donnie Brasco poster & wallpaper

Al Pacino, Anne Heche, Bruno Kirby

In the 1970s, FBI undecover agent Joe Pistone infiltrates the mob, leaving his family behind and assuming the false persona of the jewel man Donnie Brasco. His assignment: to become a trusted insider ...( read more  read more... )with the infamous Bonanno family by gaining the confidence of a low-level gangster. Lefty Ruggiero is an aging, two-bit hit-man who sees a new future for himself with the smart, young thief Donnie Brasco and enlists him as his protege. Together the two men enter into a camaraderie that will not allow either one to distance himself emotionally. Meanwhile, Donnie begins to get lost in the distance between his real and undercover selves. As Donnie moves deeper and deeper into the Mafia chain of command, he realizes he is not only losing the line between federal agent and criminal, between who he pretends to be and who he actually is, he is also leading Lefty, his closest friend, to an almost certain death sentence.

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85% liked it

81,343 ratings

Critics

87% liked it

52 critics

R, 1 hr. 55 min.

Directed by: Mike Newell

Release Date: February 28, 1997

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DVD Release Date: January 20, 1998

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Stats: 6,763 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (6,763)

  • SirPant
    September 16, 2009
    SirPant
    A good gangster film but it's a little overrated. Pacino and Depp aren't really at their best but overall, this is a very entertaining film with a good supporting cast.
  • 76Majikat
    February 7, 2009
    76Majikat
    A good film which I re-watched recently. Undercover cop who gets close to Gangsters
  • mrpopcorn
    December 26, 2008
    mrpopcorn
    "Donnie Brasco. Based On A True Story."

    This drama about an undercover cop who learns the hidden dangers of working his way inside the mob was based on a true story. Joe Pistone (Johnny Depp) is an FBI agent who is given an assignment to infiltrate the Mafia; calling hi...( read more)mself Donnie Brasco, he befriends Lefty Ruggiero (Al Pacino), a low-level mob hit man whose personal life is in tatters. Lefty's marriage is falling apart, his son is a junkie, and his health is failing, which only adds to his growing disillusionment about having spent 30 years with the Mafia (and killing 26 people) with little to show for it. But in Donnie, Lefty sees someone who can succeed where he failed; he takes the young man under his wing, and under Lefty's tutelage Donnie quickly rises through the ranks of organized crime; however, the longer he plays the role of the gangster, the more Joe Pistone finds himself becoming Donnie Brasco in his increasingly rare off hours; it drives a wedge between himself and his wife (Anne Heche) and children, and Joe realizes that a break in character among the hoodlums he's come to know could mean a death sentence for himself and his family. Just as importantly, Joe has come to regard Lefty as a close and trusted friend, and Joe realizes that when the day comes where he has to turn in his Mob associates, he'll be ending Lefty's life as surely as if he put a slug in his head himself. The supporting cast includes Michael Madsen as Sonny, Lefty's boss, and Bruno Kirby as Nicky, one of Sonny's henchmen.

    Review
    It is important to remember that in probably every gangster film, from the Public Enemy to Goodfellas, the anti-heroes are hugely likable characters who we easily gain empathy more. Al Pacino as Lefty is so convincing as an ignored foot soldier and world weary gangster, it is easy to see why Joe/Donnie likes him so much. It continually amazes me that in the 90's, Pacino just by the gestures, postures and voices he employed in his characterisations seemed to jump between ages. As Frank Slade he seemed like a washed up blind man, who to get out of bed was a strain, whilst in the same year, as Carlito he seemed twenty years younger.

    Donnie Brasco is another fine example of this. At times he seems as old as your grandad but always somehow manages to mix menace with pathos and humour. Donnie Brasco - the last great gangster movie. It not as magnificent as the Godfather or as epic as Casino, but in its portrayal of the insidous nature of the 'life' on even straight shooters like Depp it is unrivaled.
  • allan913
    May 17, 2008
    allan913
    A stylish, intriguing, honest and remarkable gangster picture. A riveting crime drama. It's brilliant, stunning and riveting. Al Pacino and Johnny Depp are teriffic. Pacino proves once again why he's one of the greatest that ever lived. Depp gives one of the best performances of ...( read more)his career. Micheal Madsen is brilliant. Director, Mike Newell has crafted a well established and brilliant film. It's the most insightful, hard-hitting, hard-edged and honest gangster movie since Goodfellas.
  • sononothing
    May 16, 2008
    sononothing
    Donnie Brasco is a decent mob drama starring Johnny Depp as an FBI undercover agent and Al Pacino as the two bit mobster that brings him into the inner circle. The film is your typical mob film with the undercover gent being paranoid about getting caught and the effect it has on...( read more) his family- you've seen this part before. The only real standout in the film is Al Pacino's character Lefty. Instead of Pacino playing the mob boss, he plays a pathetic stooge who works for what amounts another stooge played by Michael Madsen. These guys are like the minimum wage earners of the New York mafia,. Yeah they drive Cadillacs and Lincolns, but Al Pacino is NOT playing Michael Corleone or Tony Montana in this one. Think of him as a stooge for Luca Brazzi. I found this unpolished version of Pacino's chacter's life in the Mafia to be more interesting than Depp's Pistone family crisis (which is oddly interpreted on screen).
    Overall, this is an OK film that shows off the skills of the veteran Pacino and the soon-to-become-superstar Depp.
  • Mathias89
    October 25, 2009
    Mathias89
    Beeindruckens Spiel von Al Pacino in einem konstant spannendem Film.
  • almalimon08
    October 22, 2009
    almalimon08
    Al Pachino and Johnny Depp! Great combination!
  • girlygbgirl
    October 11, 2009
    girlygbgirl
    neva seen it but anything to do with mafiosos / mob is good to me..
  • topromannoodles14
    October 7, 2009
    topromannoodles14
    Really good movie!!! Al Pacino and Depp were good in this movie!! i really like watching this movie!!!
  • jmg5063
    October 4, 2009
    jmg5063
    Really good..kept me interested. Crazy that it's a true story. VINCE VAUGHN lol

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Critic Reviews

June 18, 2002
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

A first-class Mafia thriller that is also, in its way, a love story. full review

May 11, 2001
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

Pacino and Depp are a match made in acting heaven, riffing off each other with astonishing subtlety and wit. full review

January 1, 2000
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

The movie has many human qualities and contains what will be remembered as one of Pacino's finest scenes. full review

View more Donnie Brasco reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments

  • MorpheusOne
    December 1, 2006
    MorpheusOne
    A VERY good film! A few ppl have left reviews/comments saying that Depp's character is a snitch, well, perhaps they didn't watch the film!?

    He's an FBI agent who infiltrates the mob leads them up the river and fucks'em in the ass! Which is exactly what they deserve!
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