eddieknocker

Another reviewer has said it is Pacino's best. I can understand why. Here he turns down the volume and we can hear every note. Its a beautiful, subtle performance.

I feel sorry for Depp. In any other film with any other actor it would've been his film but unfortunately Pacino steals every scene his in.

Lefty (Pacino) is a small-time hood forever being passed over. Donnie Brasco (Depp) is the undercover FBI agent who Pacino befriends and vouches for to his ultimate doom. Every scene with Pacino in should be watched by every aspiring film actor (and most established ones!) to see how its done. If this sounds like a love-letter to Pacino at the expense of the rest of the cast well it is. And the supporting cast are perfect as well - Heche as Brasco's suffering wife, Madsen as Pacino's boss, Bruno Kirby as one of the gang. I could list every one.

Also credit must go to the director Mike Newell for making me forgive him for Hugh Grant's career with this film.

Some people say this is too similar to "Goodfellas" and indeed the release was delayed and the casting changed due to that Scorsese classic. But I say "Donnie Brasco" is the anti-Goodfellas - the wiseguys here are a bit too low rent/nickel and dime. And Pacino gives us the anti-Godfather. And when films are this good there's room for both in this world.

It wasn't even my idea. It was a female friends idea. I hadn't read any reviews. So i went and i watched it. And i thought it was quite a pleasant, well-made film. I didn't think it was the best film ever made. It was obviously different to your average Hollywood Blockbuster (the same year's Pulp Fiction it is not!)- slow paced with a director happy not to rush things.

And here we are nearly 20 years later and it's a lot of people's favourite film. It's not my favourite film but it's grown on me and i've been forced to reappraise it. And now i think it's a lovely film, lovingly made and when you've had enough of aliens blowing up The Whitehouse, scantily clad students dancing and wise-cracking cops shooting everything insight this is the antidote and really there should be more films made like this. It puts the "good" in "feel good movie".

It's a testament to the talent of Callow & Blethyn that this is not unwatchable but in fact still bloody funny and charming.

All the clichés of early 80's sitcoms in abundance - awful lighting, wooden sets, even more wooden acting from the other characters and extras, past-it's-sell-by-date canned laughter.

I only have memories of this as a child when it was originally aired. I can see why C4 haven't showed it again as it's just too dated.

But if you do have a spare few quid get the DVD set and marvel at Blethyn's hilarious, sweet and barely repressed sexual librarian and Callow's bumptious but likable bad luck lightning-rod.

Mention must go to the writers - incredibly convoluted and humorous plots. Maintains the great Brtitish tradition of the farce.