In an unforgettable tale about friendship, director Mike Newell does a marvelous job of showing us the vulnerabilities we share with the people closest to us. The subtle nature of what's being communicated between the two leads is as beautiful as it is poetic, but the delicate balance is always threatened with a potential compromise.
Based on a true story, Donnie Brasco is a gangster story with an angle. Where films like The Godfather, Goodfellas and Casino lean in heavy from the antagonist's perspective, this classic plants itself firmly in the shoes of the opposing force. The strongest element is the chemistry on screen between Johnny Deep, our titular character, and Al Pacino, who plays Lefty.
Watching these two heavy-weights bonding as unknown adversaries is like nothing you've seen before. Depp answers Pacino's calls and there's an instant camaraderie that tests our reasoning. When writer Paul Attanasio adapted the material to suit the medium you can clearly see his focus was on the dynamic connecting all the characters. The main plot doesn't take a back seat, but it's nothing without the characters that propel it forward.
Being released in Feb of that year gave it a disadvantage as the majority of audiences tend to forget films by the time the Oscars comes around. And with top-notch acting, directing and a screenplay that understands it's source material, it's a damn shame Donnie Brasco wasn't nominated for best picture in 1997.
If you're a sucker for gangster flicks - what are you waiting for? But genre preference aside this is a bucket list movie that will test your toughness and have you reaching for a tissue box by the end. Once you've seen it you won't fuhgettaboutit.
Based on a true story, Donnie Brasco is a gangster story with an angle. Where films like The Godfather, Goodfellas and Casino lean in heavy from the antagonist's perspective, this classic plants itself firmly in the shoes of the opposing force. The strongest element is the chemistry on screen between Johnny Deep, our titular character, and Al Pacino, who plays Lefty.
Watching these two heavy-weights bonding as unknown adversaries is like nothing you've seen before. Depp answers Pacino's calls and there's an instant camaraderie that tests our reasoning. When writer Paul Attanasio adapted the material to suit the medium you can clearly see his focus was on the dynamic connecting all the characters. The main plot doesn't take a back seat, but it's nothing without the characters that propel it forward.
Being released in Feb of that year gave it a disadvantage as the majority of audiences tend to forget films by the time the Oscars comes around. And with top-notch acting, directing and a screenplay that understands it's source material, it's a damn shame Donnie Brasco wasn't nominated for best picture in 1997.
If you're a sucker for gangster flicks - what are you waiting for? But genre preference aside this is a bucket list movie that will test your toughness and have you reaching for a tissue box by the end. Once you've seen it you won't fuhgettaboutit.
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