Donnie Brasco

This riveting true crime mob drama of confused loyalties is a dramatic departure for director Mike Newell (Four Weddings and a Funeral), a coming-of-age effort for Johnny Depp, and an admirable show of restraint for rant-master Al Pacino. Depp stars as an FBI agent who infiltrates a real blue collar crime family (you never saw the Corleones raiding parking meters). In one of his best performances in years, Pacino costars as one of the "spokes in the wheel" who becomes the youth's mentor. Recommended. (K. Lee Benson)[DVD Review—May 29, 2007—Sony, 147 min., not rated, $19.95—Making its third appearance on DVD, 1997's Donnie Brasco (Extended Cut) boasts a fine transfer and features Dolby Digital 5.1 sound. DVD extras include 20 minutes added to the film, the 24-minute production featurette “Donnie Brasco: Out from the Shadows,” an eight-minute original promo featurette (8 min.), a three-minute photo gallery montage, and trailers. Bottom line: the extra 20 minutes make Donnie Brasco longer though not better, while the extras are the same as on earlier releases (minus the director's commentary), so skip this one if you already own.]