March 14, 1997
Movies
In Theaters

DONNIE BRASCO

Review by Owen Gleiberman

DONNIE BRASCO (R) A wonderfully dense, clever, and moving gangland thriller. It's based on the true story of Joe Pistone, the FBI undercover agent who infiltrated the Mafia in the mid-'70s, adopting the persona of "Donnie Brasco," ace jewel broker. Johnny Depp, with his stoic suaveness, plays Joe/Donnie, and Al Pacino is Lefty, the edging-over-the-hill hitman who takes him under his tattered wing. The plot is a rich gumbo of back stabbing, shady business deals, and mayhem. As in many a Mob drama, loyalty is the issue. Only here it has added irony, since Donnie, the most honest man on screen, is also the ultimate betrayer. A-