Directed by Mike Newell (1997).
Screenplay by Paul Attanasio based on the book by Joseph D. Pistone with Richard Woodley.
Starring Al Pacino, Johnny Depp, Michael Madsen, Bruno Kirby, Anne Heche.

Donnie Brasco is an amazing film based on the real life experiences of FBI Agent Joe Pistone who goes undercover using the alias 'Donnie Brasco' in an attempt to infiltrate the Mafia.

But this is not a gangster film in the traditional sense, it is really a love story depicting the close relationship that 'Donnie' (Depp) forms with aging mobster Benjamin 'Lefty' Ruggiero, played by Al Pacino.

As Donnie gains the trust and friendship of higher and higher members of the Mafia family he begins to realise that he is also creating a death sentence for Lefty and others who have 'vouched' for him, because when the undercover operation comes to a close retribution will be swiftly dealt out to any Mafia member who has befriended Donnie.

Pacino is especially brilliant as 'Lefty' Ruggiero, the con who comes to love Donnie as a son, forming a bond with him that he does not even have with his own family. Depp is excellent as the undercover agent who's investigation was originally supposed to last six months and eventually ended up lasting almost six years.

Joseph Pistone himself acted as an advisor on the film despite the fact the an open-ended contract of 500,000 dollars on his life still exists. Anyone who has enjoyed this film will be delighted to read the book on which it is based. It naturally contains much much more information about the setting up of the undercover work, many more scams and incidents during the years and information about what happened when the investigation finally ended, including the fact that, unlike in the film, Lefty Ruggiero was not 'taken out' by the Mafia, instead he was picked up by the police only to die some years later from cancer.