Donnie Brasco

When I was first assigned to see "Donnie Brasco" I instantly had an image of another ruff and intense mobster movie. It has been a while since Hollywood has attempted to do a mob related movie until now. "Donnie Brasco" was released last Friday. This movie stars Al Pacino and Johnny Depp. The movie is based on a true story about Joe Pistone and FBI agent who infiltrated the New York mob ring. Johnny Depp takes the role of Pistone a.k.a. Donnie Brasco. Donnie meets Lefty, played by Pacino. Lefty is a New York City mob veteran, although he is very tired and wore out from the life he lives. He also has a serious gambling problem, owes serious money to his bosses, has a son that is a junkie and has been passed up for promotion in the ring several times, as he is ready to get out of the game. This adds a lot to the character of Lefty. Al Pacino did a wonderful job of presenting this character. Lefty runs into Donnie and gets excited at the possibility of taking this young, vibrant kid under his wings. Donnie is soon introduced to all the key players of the Mafia as Lefty vouches his life on Donnie being a true mob player. Donnie picks up a lot about the routines of this crime organization and is on his way to the top. As all of these Mafia ties are being made, Brasco is faced with the troubling situation brewing with his family. He has to spend so much time with the mob that his family is left behind. His wife Maggie, played by Anne Heche, is struggling each day trying to take care of the house, bills and the three daughters while her husband is gone. He only gets to visit once every three months during the years he is involved with this sting. The frustrations of this creates serious hostility between the two. Brasco is soon faced with another situation when one of the ring leader's named Sunny decides to let Donnie run his mob ring down in Florida. Lefty is devastated as his protege passes him up and goes to the top of the ring. Donnie is faced with several different