Friday Film Noir

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Donnie Brasco (1997) is a crime drama directed by Mike Newell and written by Paul Attanasio, adapted from the book by Joseph D. Pistone and Richard Woodley. Johnny Depp stars as undercover FBI agent Joseph Pistone, infiltrating the Bonanno crime family alongside aging hitman Lefty Ruggiero, played by Al Pacino, in a sting operation that blurs personal loyalty and professional duty.

​The real Joseph Pistone worked closely with Johnny Depp during preparation to coach his speech patterns. Filmmakers originally considered Tom Cruise for the lead character before Depp was cast. Al Pacino originally eyed the role of Brasco years earlier before portraying veteran mob soldier Lefty Ruggiero. The film popularized mafia vernacular like "forget about it", which Pistone explained carried varied meanings depending on context.

1997 • R • 2h 7m
Rotten Tomatoes: 88%
Holy Unknown Grade: B
Worldwide Gross: 124M
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