Overview
An undercover agent's life spirals into chaos as he infiltrates the mob, risking everything for loyalty and survival.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Moderate
- tense
- melancholic
- gritty
- crime movie night
- serious film night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film as a stark, nuanced organized-crime thriller, especially for its screenplay and the performances of Johnny Depp and Al Pacino.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Joe Pistone operates as Donnie Brasco while his mafia friendships increasingly complicate his FBI obligations.
Lefty, Sonny Black, and their associates struggle for recognition while collecting money for higher-ranking bosses.
Pistone grows close to Lefty even as the investigation places Lefty and the organization in danger.
The film foregrounds collections, errands, backstabbing, and informal mafia business over romanticized gangster mythology.
Films like Donnie Brasco, and why
The Departed
shared undercover crime thriller structure, organized crime setting, and morally conflicted protagonist
Goodfellas
shared mafia milieu, betrayal, psychological tension, and grounded crime drama tone
Infernal Affairs
shared covert identity, police infiltration, and tragic emotional consequences of criminal entanglement
The Irishman
shared true crime foundation, restrained gangster storytelling, and conflicted loyalty
Movie Details
- Director
- Mike Newell
- Release Date
- 1997-02-27
- Runtime
- 127 min
- Rating
- 7.5 / 10 (4999)
Cast
- Johnny Depp
- Al Pacino
- Michael Madsen
- Bruno Kirby
- James Russo
- Anne Heche
- Željko Ivanek
- Brian Tarantina
- Rocco Sisto
- Zach Grenier
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Netflix, Philo, YouTube TV, Sundance Now, BBC America, Netflix Standard with Ads, Sony Pictures Core Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Donnie Brasco about?
- An FBI infiltrator’s fabricated mob identity collides with a genuine friendship that makes abandoning the undercover mission morally perilous.
- What is Donnie Brasco like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Donnie Brasco as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Donnie Brasco violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Donnie Brasco as moderate.
- What did critics think of Donnie Brasco?
- Critics broadly praised the film as a stark, nuanced organized-crime thriller, especially for its screenplay and the performances of Johnny Depp and Al Pacino.
- Which films are like Donnie Brasco?
- Films with a similar feel include The Departed, Goodfellas, Infernal Affairs, and The Irishman.
- How long is Donnie Brasco?
- Donnie Brasco runs 127 minutes.
- Where can I watch Donnie Brasco?
- In United States, Donnie Brasco streams on Netflix, Philo, YouTube TV, Sundance Now, BBC America, Netflix Standard with Ads, Sony Pictures Core Amazon Channel.
