THE PLOT THUS FAR
An FBI undercover agent infiltrates the mob and finds himself identifying more with the mafia life to the expense of his regular one.
WHAT WE THOUGHT
“Donnie Brasco” is an often overlooked movie in the 1990s crime film milieu. Johnny Depp never really fit the type, but he plays the role of an outside to the mob well. While Depp never looks natural firing a pistol, he has the bullshit down pat to win over Pacino’s respect. It’s just that everyone else in this film is never given any reason to think highly of him. So, as the years go on and Brasco sinks deeper into the Syndicate, the suspension of disbelief just goes out the window. Yet, this film was still able to pull down a Script Nomination at the Oscars that year.
The bro relationship dynamics in the movie are rich. Pacino and Depp play as friends well and you can sense their eventual distaste for Michael Madsen’s character. Many fans will make a big deal out of the fact that this is the first time that the theatrical cut of the film is hitting Blu-Ray. I initially had the extended cut to compare against this one and I can’t say that I noticed much of a difference. The extended cut seemed to linger longer on Donnie Brasco’s real life, but nothing else was hurt by it. But, I’ll never understand fan preference like they seem to want me to when they yell in their e-mails.
The Blu-Ray comes with no special features. The A/V Quality is pretty standard for a Mill Creek HD release. The 1080p transfer shows off a bit more when compared to the older SONY Blu-Ray from 2007. That being said, the Dolby track is very lossy and nowhere near what I’d expect from a Blu-Ray release. In the end, I’d recommend a purchase to the curious.
RELEASE DATE: 07/22/2014