Revisited - Donnie Brasco

So I'm sure you heard of a ton of great mafia movies like The Godfather, Good Fellas, or really any Martin Scorsese film really but I'm sure most of you have not heard of Donnie Brasco. To be honest, I never heard of it until I found it in my dad's DVD collection and decided to watch it since Johnny Depp was in it and I liked him in Pirates of the Caribbean. When I finally finished watching it all I could say was "Damn, that was good". It's one of those movies that just keeps you glued to the TV on it's great acting portrayals and of course story which is always important in a good mafia movie. This movie felt raw in a good way in how accurate and natural the movie felt throughout to which even past mobsters say that it's the closest thing to what the life actually was like. It made you feel like you were a fly in the room and entertained you all the same.

Donnie Brasco is a 1997 American crime drama film directed by Mike Newell, and starring Al Pacino and Johnny Depp. Michael Madsen, Bruno Kirby, James Russo, and Anne Heche appeared in supporting roles. The film, written by Paul Attanasio, is based on the 1988 nonfiction book Donnie Brasco: My Undercover Life in the Mafia by Joseph D. Pistone, and Richard Woodley.The film is loosely based on the true story of Pistone (Depp), an FBI undercover agent who infiltrated the Bonanno crime family in New York City during the 1970s, under the alias Donnie Brasco. Brasco maneuvers his way into the confidence of an aging Mafia hitman, Lefty Ruggiero (Pacino), who vouches for him. As Donnie moves deeper into the Mafia, he realizes that not only is he crossing the line between federal agent and criminal, but also leading his friend Lefty to an almost certain death.

Donnie Brasco premiered in Century City on February 24, 1997, and was released on February 28, 1997, by TriStar Pictures. The film was a box office success, earning $124.9 million against its $35 million budget, and received positive reviews from critics. The film was nominated for an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay.

In 1970s New York City, Lefty Ruggiero, an aging gangster in the Bonanno crime family, is introduced to a jewel thief named Donnie Brasco, who impresses Lefty by threatening a diamond dealer whom Donnie suspects of having sold Lefty a zirconia set ring, priced as a real diamond one. Lefty teaches Donnie the rules of the Mafia and introduces him to several made men, including Sonny, Nicky, and caporegime Sonny Red.

Donnie is revealed to be Joseph D. Pistone, an undercover FBI agent, whose wife, Maggie, is not fond of his undercover position. After the Bonanno family's street boss is killed, Sonny assumes his position. As the crew runs a series of successful shakedowns and hijackings in Brooklyn, Pistone infiltrates the Mafia and collects more information for the FBI via wiretap recording.

FBI supervisor Dean Blandford takes an interest in the case, and asks Pistone to incorporate a Miami-based undercover FBI agent, Richie Gazzo, into the Bonanno's operation. Though reluctant, Pistone convinces Sonny and the crew to meet Richie in Miami, where Donnie and Lefty plan to run Richie's nightclub on their own, and attempt to impress Florida mob boss, Trafficante, with a yacht party. Sonny reaches there first, angering Lefty, especially for offering Donnie to run the club as an unofficial made man. However, they later reconcile when Lefty's son nearly dies of a drug overdose.

On its opening day, the nightclub is raided by Miami police on orders from Trafficante, who was colluding with Sonny Red. Suspecting Sonny Red to be responsible, the crew, without Donnie, kill Sonny Red and two rival caporegimes after calling a meeting. The crew also kills Nicky, who was found to have been carrying out a narcotics deal without Sonny's knowledge and without making payments "up the chain." Donnie helps with the clean up of the bodies. With Sonny becoming the new street boss, Donnie is tasked with finding and killing Sonny Red's son, Bruno.

At home, Pistone's behavior increasingly becomes like that of the criminal he pretends to be. One last dispute between Donnie and his wife becomes physical. With increasing pressure from the FBI to end the operation and make arrests, Donnie tries convincing Lefty to escape his criminal life. However, Bruno is tracked down and Lefty discovers that the yacht Donnie had previously arranged was federally owned. Outside the location where Bruno is hiding, Lefty confronts Donnie about his loyalties. At gunpoint, Lefty forces Donnie out to kill Bruno to confirm his loyalties, but before either murder can be committed, FBI agents arrive and apprehend them.

FBI agents visit Sonny's hangout, and reveal Donnie's true identity to him and his crew by showing them photographs of Pistone in FBI uniform. Later, Lefty is summoned to a meeting; he leaves behind his valuables and tells his girlfriend that if Donnie calls to tell him that "if it was going to be anyone, I'm glad it was him," as he goes to his implied death. With his family in attendance, Pistone attends a small private ceremony for his service, being awarded a $500 check and a medal.

The end title cards state that the evidence collected by "Donnie Brasco" led to over 200 indictments and over 100 convictions. Pistone lives with his wife under an assumed name in an undisclosed location, with a $500,000 open contract on his head.

All in all, there are few mafia movies that not only entertain the viewer but also tell the story in a real and honest way and funny enough a movie that doesn't get talked about enough does both amazingly. It delivers a great story about an undercover cop that don't really appear in many mafia movies besides The Departed that I could think of and gives a different view point through the FBI and not only the Mafia's viewpoint. It also has great acting that really sells the story and keeps the viewer glued to their seat. Al Pacino is Al Pacino and Johnny Depp is Johnny Depp so you know your going to have a great time no matter what but this movie does even better by delivering one of the best films about the mafia life of all time so if that doesn't sell you to watch it, I don't know what will. This has been Revisited, thanks for reading. Ricardo Signing Off