Donnie Brasco

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2:12

Donnie Brasco

R

1997

2h 6m

Crime

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

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Popcornmeter

88%

Tomatometer

57 Reviews

89%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

Joseph Pistone (Johnny Depp) is an FBI agent who has infiltrated one of the major New York Mafia families and is living under the name Donnie Brasco. He develops a relationship with mob hitman Benjamin "Lefty" Ruggiero (Al Pacino) in order to get deeper under cover, but ends up developing a real friendship with the Mafioso. As their relationship develops, Pistone must decide whether to complete his job, knowing that it will lead to the murder of his new friend.

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Critics Consensus

A stark, nuanced portrait of life in organized crime, bolstered by strong performances from Al Pacino and Johnny Depp.

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David Ansen

Newsweek

02/28/2018

This is Depp's coming-of-age role, and he's terrific. Pacino, who's shown more flash than substance recently, reminds us how great he can be when he loses himself inside a character.

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Todd McCarthy

Variety

11/20/2008

Although perhaps familiar in its outer trappings, Pacino's fine work is the key to the film succeeding to the extent that it does.

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Time Out

01/26/2006

A tense, sharp and compelling character study, Newell's film is a worthy addition to the Mob-movie canon.

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Simon Rose

Daily Mirror (UK)

Sep 22

4/5

A superb movie with a brilliant performance by Pacino and some of the best movie dialogue for a long time.

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Stephen Silver

Tilt Magazine

03/04/2022

4/5

A fine film, though not quite a classic, mostly because it didn't break any ground, or show us a new way of telling this type of story (25th anniversary)

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PJ Nabarro

Patrick Nabarro

02/22/2019

3/5

A clever insight into the everyday, professional banalities of life as a low to mid-level gangster.

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Dennis G

@MunchinBooty Feb 8

Classic! Seen it a dozen times.

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Maksim S

@MaksimusMovies Dec 19

Donnie Brasco is one of the rare gangster films that values authenticity over mythmaking. Instead of glamorizing the Mafia, it grounds its story in the small, unglamorous realities of real-life mob work — the waiting, the paranoia, the quiet brutality. The film smartly weaves actual mafiosos and documented events into its narrative, building tension from things that truly happened rather than exaggerated spectacle. Creative liberties are taken sparingly, and only when necessary to serve the drama. Anchored by restrained, deeply human performances, Donnie Brasco feels less like a crime fantasy and more like a lived-in historical document — a sharp, intelligent, and deeply unsettling portrait of infiltration and identity.

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Janis E

@JansEd Nov 29

A blue collar gangster movie that succeeds on all attempted levels, particularly acting.

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Maria Q

@MariaQe Oct 7

A classy piece of work that may disappoint those looking for something more conventional.

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Julie D

@RT40892224 Oct 2

A blue collar gangster movie that succeeds on all attempted levels, particularly acting.

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John B

@Randalltex Sep 27

A tense, sharp and compelling character study, Newell's film is a worthy addition to the Mob-movie canon.

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Mike Newell

Director

Al Pacino

Lefty

Johnny Depp

Donnie

Michael Madsen

Sonny

Bruno Kirby

Nicky

James Russo

Paulie

Donnie Brasco: Official Clip - Lefty Gets a Lion

1:55

Donnie Brasco: Official Clip - I'm Glad It Was Him

2:12

Donnie Brasco: Official Clip - I Am Them

1:58

Donnie Brasco: Official Clip - I Know You Know!

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Donnie Brasco: Official Clip - Ambush and Overthrow

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Donnie Brasco: Official Clip - This is Life and Death

1:39

Donnie Brasco: Official Clip - A Close Call

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Donnie Brasco: Trailer 1

2:12

Donnie Brasco: Official Clip - If You're a Rat...

2:09

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Synopsis

Joseph Pistone (Johnny Depp) is an FBI agent who has infiltrated one of the major New York Mafia families and is living under the name Donnie Brasco. He develops a relationship with mob hitman Benjamin "Lefty" Ruggiero (Al Pacino) in order to get deeper under cover, but ends up developing a real friendship with the Mafioso. As their relationship develops, Pistone must decide whether to complete his job, knowing that it will lead to the murder of his new friend.

Director: Mike Newell
Producer: Barry Levinson, Mark Johnson, Louis DiGiaimo, Gail Mutrux
Screenwriter: Joseph D. Pistone, Richard Woodley, Paul Attanasio
Distributor: TriStar Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment
Production Co: TriStar Pictures, Mandalay Entertainment, Baltimore Pictures
Rating: R
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 28, 1997, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 16, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA): $42.0M
Runtime: 2h 6m
Sound Mix: Dolby, Surround, SDDS

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