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"Donnie Brasco" was the name given to undercover FBI agent Joe Pistone, who spent six years infiltrating the New York City mob in the 1970s. His work led to over two-hundred indictments and over one-hundred convictions of Mafia members.

Based on a true story, the film stars Johnny Depp as Pistone and Al Pacino as "Lefty". Donnie is posing as a diamond expert in hope that he can worm his way into mob headquarters, while Lefty is a two-bit mafia member struggling for recognition. The two start working together and become good friends. The boss, Dominick "Sonny Black" Napolitano (Michael Madsen), soon notices that Donnie is a trustworthy candidate and elevates his status within his crew, while Lefty is continually neglected, unable to make enough money. All the time this is happening, the criminal underworld is being secretly monitored for evidence by the FBI.

The best thing about Brasco is the bond between Donnie and Lefty, which is effectively developed from the talents of Depp and Pacino. Depp is suave and incredibly believable as both a cop and mob affiliate; Pacino is deliberately unspectacular, creating a character that is almost prophetical in the way he speaks to his new found friend ("When they send for you, you go in alive, you come out dead, and it's your best friend that does it.") They make for a fascinating pairing.

The writing is also admirable, and the next best thing about Brasco. When asked by a fellow FBI agent what the common mob phrase "Forget about it" means, Donnie replies with the movie's most memorable piece of dialogue:

"Forget about it is like if you agree with someone, you know, like Raquel Welch is one great piece of ass, forget about it. But then, if you disagree, like A Lincoln is better than a Cadillac? Forget about it! you know? But then, it's also like if something's the greatest thing in the world, like mingia those peppers, forget about it. But it's also like saying Go to hell! too. Like, you know, like "Hey Paulie, you got a one inch pecker?" and Paulie says 'Forget about it!' Sometimes it just means forget about it."

What isn't quite so memorable, however, is the plot. Obviously, there are moments when Donnie's cover becomes threatened, but these moments never really feel particularly suspenseful. In Too Deep, for example, is a film that uses the Donnie Brasco formula, but creates an atmosphere that is so much more frightening that you actually start to fear for the life of the main character. Fair enough, this film was made after Mike Newell's depiction, but at least it came with more of an impact.

Most critics will rave about how riveting Brasco is, and while I do agree to the extent of Depp and Pacino's onscreen partnership, it is still one of the most overrated mob flicks that I've seen. The acting aside, there really isn't anything that memorable here.

(C) Andy Carrington, 2009.