An fbi agent befriends a lowly hitman to gain entry to the mob. In the mid 1970s fbi agent joe pistone infiltrated the violent mafia underworld getting closer to its inner circle than any u.S. Law officer ever had. This suspenseful tale of friendship honor and betrayal is based on a true story. Studio: Sony Pictures Home Ent Release Date: 12/21/2004 Starring: Al Pacino Johnny Depp Run time: 127 minutes Rating: R Director: Mike Newell

Based on a memoir by former undercover cop Joe Pistone (whose daring and unprecedented infiltration of the New York Mob scene earned him a place in the federal witness protection program), Donnie Brasco is like a de- romanticized, de-mythologized version of The Godfather. It offers an uncommonly detailed, privileged glimpse inside the world of organized crime from the perspective of the little guys at the bottom of Mafia hierarchy rather than from the kingpins at the top. Donnie Brasco is not only one of the great modern-day gangster movies to put in the company of The Godfather films andGoodFellas, but it is also one of the great undercover police movies--arguably surpassing Serpico and Prince of the City in richness of character, detail, and moral complexity. Donnie (Johnny Depp, a splendid actor) is practically adopted by Lefty Ruggiero (Al Pacino), a gregarious, low-level "made" man who grows to love his young protégé like a son. (Pacino really sinks into this guy's skin and polyester slacks, and creates his freshest, most fully realized character since his 1970s heyday.) As Donnie acclimates himself to Lefty's world, he distances himself from his wife (a terrific Anne Heche) and family for their own protection. Almost imperceptibly his sense of identity slips away from him. Questioning his own confused loyalties, unable to trust anybody else because he himself is an imposter, Donnie loses his way in a murky and treacherous no-man's land. The film is directed by Mike Newell, who also headed up Four Weddings and a Funeral and the gritty, true crime melodrama Dance with a Stranger. --Jim Emerson

Stills from Donnie Brasco (click for larger image)

Beyond Donnie Brasco on Amazon.com

DVDs starring Al Pacino

More Gangster Movies

The Memoir

Version: U.S.A / Region A, B, C
MPEG-4 AVC BD-50 / High Profile 4.1
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
Running time: 2:27:07
Movie size: 39,82 GB
Disc size: 43,12 GB
Average video bit rate: 28.99 Mbps

LPCM Audio English 4608 kbps 5.1 / 48kHz / 16-bit / 4608kbps
Dolby Digital Audio English 640 kbps 5.1 / 48kHz / 640kbps

Subtitles: English / English SDH / French
Number of chapters: 16

#Donnie Brasco: Out from the Shadows (SD - 24 min.)
#Original Featurette (SD - 7 min.)
#Photo Montage (SD - 3 min.)

This is one of the best gangster movies ever made. Great acting, great filmmaking.

The extended version is great, as the additional scenes flesh out the story and just make the movie all that better, with more scenes!

Nothing crazy about the extras - just a few solid featurettes.

Excellent movie. Excellent cast, especially Johnny Depp and Al Pacino. Keeps you on the "edge of your seat" the whole time.

A great storyline with great actors. It never gets old, do not miss this movie.

Has too be the best blu-ray movie i have EVER seen and i buy a lot. Its the extended version and it seemed like the movie went on for hours... As for the PQ and the Audio 100% and better. Thank you for a great blu-ray for my collection.