What is a skipper, wiseguy and connected guy? While Donnie puts his life at risk, his real life crumbles as he never sees his wife or children. An imposing mafia hit man, one Benjamin "Lefty" Ruggiero needs some advice on a jewel he as been given as collateral. Lefty asks Donnie to sell a diamond he acquired from a strip club owner, but Donnie insists that it's a fake. [11], In November 1982, Ruggiero, along with Santora, Antonio Tomasulo, and Anthony "Fat Tony" Rabito, was convicted in a six-week jury trial for racketeering conspiracy, and received a 15-year prison sentence. He's barely more than a soldier. | After Galante's murder, Philip Rastelli took over, running the organization from prison. [15] In his print review, Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave it three and a half stars out of four: the film had one of Pacino's best performances, and, according to Ebert, Donnie Brasco was rare in depicting "two men who grow to love each other, within the framework of a teacher-student relationship. All right?". You know how this works? But then disaster struck. She can be polarizing at times (like me) as some people are not always great with her transparent personality. "Are you talking about the same Al Pacino that did Scarface, Heat, AND the Godfather movies" you ask. Special agent Joseph Pistone lives with his wife under an assumed name in a undisclosed location." He has also written several works of fiction such as Deep Cover, Mobbed Up and Snake Eyes. The quick change in emotion clearly states he was trying to cheat Lefty. He had a reputation as a killer but on a daily basis was not prone to violence. I wanted him to be a guy that was a street-smart, street-wise kid the wiseguys would take to and not question too much about his background or his abilities to do what he said he could do, Pistone said. [34], Pistone featured prominently in the 2013 mini-series Inside the American Mob. He is well known for his friendship and mentorship of FBI undercover agent Joseph D. Pistone, who Ruggiero knew as Donnie Brasco. However, there was one condition. He was betting and losing heavily on horse races. He was played by Al Pacino, who also portrayed Michael Corleone in the Godfather film series, John Milton in The Devil's Advocate, Big Boy in Dick Tracy, Tony Montana in Scarface, David Fisk in Righteous Kill, Shylock in The Merchant of Venice, Richard III in Looking for Richard, Carlito Brigante in Carlito's Way, Walter Burke in The Recruit, Willy Bank in Ocean's Thirteen, Roy Cohn in Angels in America, and Wilhelm Zuchs in Hunters. His whole life was consumed by being a wiseguy, by being a member of the Mafia.. As Donnie moves deeper into the Mafia, he realizes that not only is he crossing the line between federal agent and criminal, but also leading his friend Lefty to an almost certain death. "[19] New York Magazine called him "graceful" and found his acting highly believable: "We can believe that the mob might take him for a tough, ambitious young hoodhe has the wariness and the self-confidence that creates an aura. Over the next few months, both men avoided the Bonanno bosses. On its opening day, Sonny's club is raided by corrupt Miami Police officers on Trafficante's payroll as a favor for Sonny Red. Lefty wants to feel needed. Ruggiero relished life as a mobster. "[19] Entertainment Weekly reserved its highest praise for Pacino: "If Donnie Brasco belongs to any actor, though, it's Al Pacino. It was touch and go for 11 days, but she pulled through. [1] By dodging this bullet, the family kept its leadership intact and was able to consolidate its power once again. From Florida, he flew to Milwaukee where he testified against Milwaukee crime boss, Balistrieri, and his two sons. Suspecting Sonny Red to be responsible, Lefty and the rest of Sonny Black's crew ambush Sonny Red and kill him and two other rival mafia leaders. Powers / Skills Amazon, the Amazon logo, MYHABIT, and the MYHABIT logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Kings Court was still bringing in a healthy turnover from loan sharking and bookmaking, so despite the raid, Black told agents Robb and Pistone he would recommend their membership to the Mafia to his superiors. Since he had to have a profession in criminal activity that did not involve violence, a jewel thief was perfect. Lefty It is likely it was.For one the real Donnie went to jewel school, and learned how to identify fake diamonds from real, as well as to their value or worth. Donnie Brasco. It was given a wide release in North America on February 28, 1997. Suspecting a setup, Sonny Black and his crew return to New York and gun down Sonny Red and two other mobsters in an ambush. During the 1970s, he purchased a social club in Little Italy. "Anything happens, I'm responsible," Lefty warns Donnie. Ramona shares her experiences growing up in that life and how she now strives for normalcy as she is a mom to four beautiful children. Their responsibilities usually are to carry out small tasks, such as robbery and theft. Apply now for our private advertising service. The Lefty depicted in this film was actually based off several different mobsters Joe Pistone met while infiltrating the Bonnano family, including soldier Anthony Mirra as well as Dominick "Sonny Black" Napolitano. While it is never explained clearly if it was fake or not. As an associate of the Bonanno Family, Donnie Brasco (Pistone) was ordered to carry out four hits for "Lefty.". He got the nickname "Two Guns" because when he went out on a hit, he liked to use two guns. He befriends a small-time hoodlum called Lefty, who he forms a genuine friendship with . Pistone has been active as an author and consultant to worldwide law enforcement agencies, including Scotland Yard,[27] and has been called to testify before the United States Senate as an expert on organized crime. Thanks to his conversations with Ruggiero and Black, Pistone gathered enough names to put 120 top Mafiosi behind bars. Both Pistone and Conte convinced Ruggiero to go to Milwaukee to negotiate a deal with Balistrieri in a vending machine venture. [28], In September 2012, Pistone testified in Montreal, Quebec, at the Charbonneau Commission public inquiry into corruption, as an expert witness.[29]. During an earlier criminal enterprise, Ruggiero met Frank Balistrieri, the Mafia boss of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Something had happened. [1] Nonetheless, Pistone's work later helped convince the FBI that using undercover agents in lieu of relying exclusively on informants was a crucial tool in law enforcement. I went in Donnie Brasco completely blind, only two things Iknew were that Pacino and Depp were in it, so I naively expected Pacino to be the boss, the big guy in the room, and Depp his son maybe, something like that. And, under him, there's the skipper. Black was furious and threatened to kill agent Robb. Ruggiero followed months later. [3], On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, Donnie Brasco has an approval rating of 88% based on 57 reviews, with an average rating of 7.80/10. Personality confrontational, proud, crude. Edit, In the end of Donnie Brasco. They then go to the previous owner, who owns a nightclub. After months of planning, in September 1976, Pistone started his undercover operationan operation that was initially intended to last for around six months turned into several years. [25][26], Pistone lives in an undisclosed location with his wife Maggie and their three daughters, under assumed names. If found guilty he would be killed. Then:Johnny Depp played Joseph Pistone, an FBI agent who goes undercover as Donnie Brasco to infiltrate the Bonanno crime family, but finds himself actually becoming one of them. He then called his girlfriend said goodbye and said "If you ever see Donnie again, tell him I loved him and if it was going to be anyone I'm glad it was him." Her best friend is Karen Gravano, son of Sammy The Bull Gravano who was one the highest ranking mobsters in the world at one-time, number 2 behind John Gotti. [5] Stephen Frears was initially hired as director for the film, but when Goodfellas, another mob film, was released in 1990, the planning for the film was pushed back. However, Black got in first. Fox Show.'. The two are later assigned to track down Sonny Red's surviving son, Bruno. [1] In Florida, Pistone worked with another FBI agent working undercover as Tony Rossi. In April 1981, all three rival capos were gunned down and the civil war was quickly over. And Donnie grows increasingly fond of the irresistible Lefty. They told him of Donnie Brascos true identity, showing him pictures of Pistone posing with his badge and other agents. The army is some guy you don't know telling you to go whack some other guy you don't know. One scene that broke my heart was when they were on the boat in Florida and Lefty wanted to hand an envelope with a funny pun and 100$ in it as a sign of respect, but couldn't reach Santo Trafficante's attention, he wasn't big enough, he didn't matter, and then he saw Sonnie Black introduce Donnie to Santo and act friendly, and he felt betrayed, he felt stepped on, so he shredded the envelope, threw it in the sea and got depressed. Donnie Brasco. The site's critical consensus reads, "A stark, nuanced portrait of life in organized crime, bolstered by strong performances from Al Pacino and Johnny Depp. Mirra told Bonanno bosses that he deserved a cut of Pistones earnings because he had introduced him to the Mob. An FBI undercover agent infiltrates the mob and finds himself identifying more with the mafia life, at the expense of his regular one. Edit, Awards Up next, Nelson stars in 'The Homesman,' directed by Tommy Lee Jones. Ruggiero and Cersani were lookouts and were sent in after to clean up the massacre and dispose of the bodies, along with Napolitano, James Episcopia and Robert Caposio. With that, Lefty and the others rise to the leadership of their mafia family. Recently, he appeared in '12 Years a Slave' and 'Saving Mr. This page was last edited on 30 April 2023, at 15:32. [8], Donnie Brasco was released on DVD in October 2000 as a "special edition" with bonus materials such as commentary tracks. Donnie Brasco 1997 R 2h 7m IMDb RATING 7.7 /10 316K YOUR RATING Rate POPULARITY 2,272 166 Play trailer 0:37 1 Video 99+ Photos Biography Crime Drama An FBI undercover agent infiltrates the mob and finds himself identifying more with the mafia life, at the expense of his regular one. Pistone convinced Ruggiero to form a business arrangement with Frank Balistrieri, the head of the Mob in Milwaukee. Sometime later, Lefty gets a telephone call. When Pistone's operation was ended on July 26, 1981, the FBI intercepted and arrested Ruggiero on August 29, 1981. [3] Pistone was an FBI agent for 17 years, from 1969 until he resigned in 1986. [6], Shortly thereafter, on August 17, 1981, Napolitano was murdered for having allowed an FBI agent to infiltrate the family; he was shot dead and his hands were cut off. So, you know, I had no way of getting rid of a wire.. It was also the basis for the short-lived 2000 television series Falcone, starring Jason Gedrick as Pistone (whose mob alias was changed from "Donnie Brasco" to "Joe Falcone" for legal reasons). ', Now:Immediately following 'Donnie Brasco,' Heche landed a series of roles in films like 'I Know What You Did Last Summer,' 'Wag the Dog,' 'Six Days, Seven Nights' and the 'Psycho' remake. How much the movie actually profits from that, is something, that everybody has to know for themselves. Getty ImagesThe body of reputed Mafia leader Carmine Galante is covered by New York police detectives here July 12 at a Brooklyn restaurant after Galante and his associate, identified as Nino Cappolla, were shot to death as they ate lunch. Pistone revisited his experiences as Donnie Brasco in his books The Way of the Wiseguy (2004) and Donnie Brasco: Unfinished Business (2007, co-authored with Charles Brandt). He was played by Al Pacino, who also portrayed Michael Corleone in the Godfather film series, John Milton in The Devil's Advocate, Big Boy in Dick Tracy, Tony Montana in Scarface, David Fisk in Righteous Kill, Shylock in The . Next, read about how Little Caesar Salvatore Maranzano created the American Mafia. Sonny finds out about Lefty's plan and intercedes by ingratiating himself to Trafficante and officially taking Donnie under his wing. He kept fifty-percent of his earnings, while Ruggiero took the rest. Around the time Ruggiero became a made member in the Bonanno family, Anthony Mirra introduced him to Joseph Pistone. The book was adapted for the screenplay by American screenwriter Paul Attanasio. and 'The Other Guys.' Thanks to Ruggiero, Pistone was exonerated and Mirra was sent packing. Benjamin "Lefty" Ruggiero is the deuteragonist of the 1997 crime film Donnie Brasco, based on the real life memoirs of undercover FBI special agent Joseph Pistone. Once I got to know Lefty pretty good and he got to the point where he trusted me and would talk around me and take me into his confidence regarding the Mafia business and who was who and what was going on, he got the impression that I had the ability to make a lot of money for him.. They must prove themselves through this and earning good money to become made. You know how this works? [2] Pistone also had vending machine dealings with Frank Balistrieri of the Milwaukee crime family. [6] FBI agents visited Napolitano's apartment on top of The Motion Lounge and informed him of Brasco's true identity. He played Governor James Devlin on the HBO series 'Oz,' and had recurring roles on '24,' 'Damages,' 'True Blood' and 'Big Love.' Joe Pistone is an undercover FBI agent ordered to infiltrate the mob as Donnie Brasco. Now in his sixth year undercover in the Mob, Pistone had already gone deeper into the Mafia than any undercover agent. Brasco served as best man at Ruggiero's 1977 wedding and frequently advised Ruggiero on handling his son Tommy's heroin addiction. However, his character here (Benjamin "Lefty" Ruggiero) is a stark contrast from his earlier gangster roles. Other than that, enjoy Villains Wiki!!! On this episode of Deep Cover, Leo Rossi walks Joe Pistone through a few more scenes of his Hollywood blockbuster, "Donnie Brasco." Joe shares intimate details about real-life challenges with his wife, Maggie, while undercover, reveals the subtle brilliance of a scene between Donnie and Lefty, and other insights. This was a big mistake for Pistone, one that potentially carried the penalty of death. So, the FBI sent Pistone to Florida, where he helped another undercover operation designed to bring down Santo Trafficante, the head of the Florida mob. While they are in a jail cell, Lefty notes that in order for the police to perform a raid that quickly, someone would have had to rat them out. He puts his money, jewelry, and cross in the box. A Capo leads a crew of Soldatos and occasionally some associates. Pistone is asked by his FBI supervisor to incorporate Miami-based undercover FBI Agent Richie Gazzo into the Donnie Brasco operation. [1] His co-workers, friends, and informants had no idea what had happened to him. [20] Pistone publicly testified for the first time on August 2, 1982. Donnie Brasco premiered in Century City on February 24, 1997, and was released on February 28, 1997, by TriStar Pictures. Balistrieri wanted to meet Ruggieros partner Joseph Pistone. Pacino also starred in crime films like 'Carlito's Way' and 'Heat.'. Edit, Donnie and Lefty head down to the dock where Donnie has been ordered by Sonny Black (Michael Madsen) to kill Sonny Red's (Robert Miano) son Bruno (Brian Tarantina). Al Pacino is my favourite actor and I love almost all of his work, but if I were to pick my favourite performance of his, I'm pretty positive it would be this one. Released in 1997, 'Donnie Brasco' starred Johnny Depp as an FBI agent who goes undercover to infiltrate a crime family and is befriended by hitman Lefty Ruggiero, played by Al Pacino. He lived in an apartment on Monroe Street in Manhattan in the same building as his friend and Bonanno soldier Anthony Mirra. Pistone lives with his wife under an assumed name in an undisclosed location, with a $500,000 open contract on his head. Yes, yes, and let me explain myself. Lefty begins fouling up the plan by welcoming and instructing Donnie as his surrogate son, since Lefty's real son is no good. In the early days, Pistone didnt wear a wire because I was with these guys on a daily or nightly basis. A short time after the killings, Pistone and Benjamin "Lefty" Ruggiero received the contract to murder Bruno Indelicato. Almost immediately Mirra discovered that Pistone was making a lot of money under Black. Now:Russo reunited with Johnny Depp for the thriller 'The Ninth Gate,' and has appeared on the shows 'CSI,' 'CSI: Miami' and 'Dark Blue.' It is an adaptation of the story of FBI Agent Joseph D. Pistone and his work as an undercover agent infiltrating the Bonanno family, one of the five most important mafia families in New York. The club became the center for loansharking, fencing stolen property, sports betting and a planned Las Vegas gambling night. By 1977, Ruggiero had paid most of his debt to Marangello and the family accepted his membership. Up next, he has roles in 'Into the Woods' and 'Mortdecai,' and is rumored to have a small part in Kevin Smith's new horror movie 'Tusk.' As Donnie and Lefty are at the club on its opening day, the club is raided by the police and all the mobsters there are arrested. Lefty hates above all to be made a fool - to be made a "dumski." Brasco was able to convince Ruggiero that he did not know the boat's owner was related to the FBI.[6]. 10 and at the Office of Naval Intelligence for three years before being sworn into the FBI on July 7, 1969, and assigned to Jacksonville, Florida. However, before they can "whack" Donnie they are caught by the FBI and Donnie is taken away. FBI agents visit Sonny Black's hangout and reveal Donnie's true identity to the crew. Then:Like Nelson, Paul Giamatti was also not yet that well known, and played the other FBI technician assigned to the case. Donnie Brasco and Her Current Life Ramona shares her experiences growing up in that life and how she now strives for normalcy as she is a mom to four beautiful children. I couldn't help but feel anguish for him, because I knew that he would suffer the consequences of Donnie's real identity when it would have come to light. [36], "Donnie Brasco" redirects here. The scene implies he is going to his death for letting Donnie aka (Joseph Pistone) an FBI agent into the mob.In real life Lefty was never killed. The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. The success of the operation hinged on Pistones fictitious alias of jewel thief Donnie Brasco so that they could gain the trust of key members in the New York Mafia. Madsen was previously well known for roles in 'Reservoir Dogs,' 'Wyatt Earp' and the family film 'Free Willy. FBI agents could not knowingly participate in any act of violence, so Pistone slowly distanced himself from Mirra. Police officials and witnesses said four men pulled up in a car and opened fire with automatic weapons and shotguns. Ruggiero told his lawyer "He'll never go against us." And, under him, there's the skipper. With his family in attendance, Pistone attends a small private ceremony for his service, being awarded a medal and a $500 check. In 1997, the book was made into a feature film titled Donnie Brasco . They report to the higher ups, and are like mini bosses of their territories and neighborhoods. Nothing here is as it seems: the jewel is a fake, Lefty isn't a made man and the guy giving him advice, expert jewel thief Donnie Brasco, is in truth . The book was the basis for the 1997 film Donnie Brasco, for which Pistone worked as a technical adviser, starring Johnny Depp as Pistone and Al Pacino as "Lefty" Ruggiero. Ruggiero recognized the boat, the Left Hand, as the same boat Brasco provided several months before for a party. What caught Ruggiero's eye was a picture of a white yacht that the FBI used to entertain the congressmen. More recently, she appeared in the films 'Arthur Newman' and 'Nothing Left to Fear,' and had roles on the short-lived NBC shows 'Save Me' and 'The Michael J. He has such a commanding presence on screen and nobody in cinematic history can scream as well as him (though Gene Hackman is damn good). "I represent you. Pistone often had a job convincing his FBI superiors to give him cash when there was little information to report. He also starred on the miniseries 'The Capture of the Green River Killer' and 'Hatfields and McCoys,' and reunited with Depp again in 2009 for 'Public Enemies.' The next day the FBI visited Black in New York. Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations. For six long years, Joseph Pistone abandoned his personal life and worked his way up the rungs of the Bonanno crime family as Donnie Brasco. Initially, Pistone planned on spending six months inside the Mafia, but it took more than six months just to be introduced to mobsters. [7], Donnie Brasco premiered in Century City, California on February 24, 1997. Both Ruggiero and Pistone were summoned for a sit down with Bonanno bosses. According to Pistone, the murderers were Napolitano, John Cersani, Joe Massino, Sal Vitale, Joseph DeSimone, Gerlando Sciascia, Nicholas Santora, Vito Rizzuto, Louis Giongetti, and Santo Giordano. His life was used in an episode of FBI: The Untold Stories. Knowing the fatal consequences that await him for unknowingly letting an FBI agent infiltrate the crime family, Lefty leaves behind his valuables and tells his wife that if Donnie calls to tell him "if it was going to be anyone, I'm glad it was him", before he is called to a meeting with his crew. The Bonanno family told Ruggiero that he would have to repay Marangello before he could become a made man. See production, box office & company info, (book "Donnie Brasco: My Undercover Life in the Mafia"), Siskel & Ebert: The Empire Strikes Back: Special Edition/When We Were Kings/Blood & Wine/Lost Highway/Margaret's Museum. When, after an absence of several years, Al Pacino returned to the screen in Sea of Love (1989), he . Lefty teaches Donnie the rules of the Mafia and introduces him to members of his crew, including Sonny Black, Nicky, Paulie, and rival crew leader Sonny Red. [5] After several years of development hell, Frears was eventually replaced with Mike Newell as director, and development picked up in 1996. However, his violent streak was a threat to Pistones operation. [30] Pistone wrote a novel titled, The Good Guys (2005), with Joseph Bonanno's son, Salvatore "Bill" Bonanno. They get the ultimate protection, meaning no one can touch you or they will get killed. Hi. Was having a moustache really not allowed at the time? Donnie is brought in to help clean up and dispose of the bodies. "[18], Critics praised Depp's performance especially: a Salon.com review hailed Depp's performance as "sensational. After the crew travels down there, Lefty plans with Donnie to run Gazzo's club on their own in order to impress Florida mob boss Santo Trafficante Jr. The evolution of thought often begins with a New Theory. Joe is subsequently given a medal and $500 for his work. He popped up on shows like 'CSI: Miami,' '24' and had a stint on 'Celebrity Big Brother' in the UK. It took a while but eventually, he calmed down. ', Now:Ivanek is one of those great "that guy" actors, whose name you might not know, but whose face you definitely recognize from films like 'Hannibal,' 'Black Hawk Down,' 'Live Free or Die Hard,' 'In Bruges' and 'The Bourne Legacy.' Despite Pistones pleas to remain undercover until he was a made man, the FBI decided it was too much of risk and in late June 1981, they ordered the operation shut down. When the FBI decides that it is time to pull the plug on the operation, Donnie realizes that, if he walks away, Ruggiero will certainly be the one punished. "[10] Metacritic, which assigned a weighted average rating of 76 out of 100, based on 21 critics, reports the film has "generally favorable reviews". Lefty first met Joe Pistone under the alias of "Donnie Brasco" when he was posing as a jewel thief and suspected a diamond dealer might have ripped Lefty off by selling him a fake ring. Seventeen years later, we revisit the cast of this modern classic and see what they're up to now. Get promoted to skipper in the Mafia. (1997) / . They tried calling but Balistrieri never returned their calls. Lefty died of cancer in 1994. Agent, Dropping Disguise, Tells Court of Life Inside the Mob", "F.B.I. Edit, Mike Newell's mafia drama was released as an extended version initially exclusively in the USA. Ruggiero developed a close friendship with Brasco, which caused friction with his old friend Mirra, who had originally introduced Brasco to Ruggiero. Lefty hopes to impress the local mob boss, Santo Trafficante Jr., by throwing a yacht party and convincing him to support his new business. 465 (S.D.N.Y. Trafficante accepted. As he figured with Lefty's age and inexperience in diamonds, he could easily scam him. Depp also played Captain Jack Sparrow in all four 'Pirates of the Caribbean' films, and recently starred in 'The Lone Ranger' and 'Transcendence.' [1] Because of his ability to drive 18-wheeler trucks and bulldozers, he was eventually given undercover work infiltrating a vehicle theft ring, an assignment that resulted in over 30 arrests and a greater profile for Pistone within law enforcement. In the late 1970's, FBI agent Joe Pistone poses as jewel expert Donnie Brasco to win the trust of ageing mob middleman Lefty Ruggiero. His first contacts were within the Colombo crime family, but they were strictly small-time criminals fencing perfume and leather jackets who didnt have access to the upper echelon mobsters Pistone needed to know. I know that even tho the movie suggests in the end that Lefty gets whacked by his mob family because he was the one to guarantee for Donnie aka Pistone, that's not factually right, that it was actually Sonny Black who was killed and that Lefty got "saved" by the FBI who wanted him to cooperate and then served some years and died of cancer. After the mafia's street boss is killed, Sonny Red assumes his position and Sonny Black becomes the new captain. Black was initially in denial. [2] It went on to earn $41.9 million in North America and $83 million from other markets, for a total of $124.9 million. Pistone also exposed the Mafias drug distribution chain that operated out of pizzerias and other shops within New York. (Blacks body would be found almost a year later on Aug. 12, 1982). ', Now:Giamatti went on to appear in 'The Truman Show' and 'Saving Private Ryan,' but it was the 2003 indie film 'American Splendor,' in which he played underground comic book writer Harvey Pekar, that really got audiences taking him seriously as a leading man. Wikimedia commonsUndercover agent Joseph Pistone as Donnie Brasco, with the lowlevel wiseguy who took him under his wing, Benjamin Lefty Guns Ruggiero. Donnie Brasco premiered in Century City on February 24, 1997, and was released on February 28, 1997, by TriStar Pictures. Dog Places Her Puppies In Her Foster Moms Lap, Confessions of a Wall Street Insider: A Cautionary Tale of Rats, Feds, and Banksters Podcast, Stay at the Soprano House! Then:Al Pacino, best known for roles in classic films like 'The Godfather' and 'Scarface,' played Lefty Ruggiero, a low-level mob hitman who befriends Donnie Brasco. From 2006 to 2008, she starred in the series 'Men in Trees,' and from 2009 to 2011, she co-starred with Thomas Jane in acclaimed HBO series 'Hung.' ", "F.B.I. In the final scene, his wife asks him to come home. Watching Pacino as more of a bumbling old-timer instead of the steely-eyed, calculating Godfather, or psychotic Tony Montana showed a side of Pacino seldom seen. In May 2007, Donnie Brasco was released on Blu-ray in an extended cut. Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations. Pistone was a consultant on Donnie Brasco to add authenticity to the fictionalized portrayals and settings. Meaning he took the mob code of Omert (code of silence) very seriously. After discovering that Donnie was really and FBI agent, Sonny Black or "Domnick Napolitano" (Michael Madsen's character) was "sent for" by the mob higher ups since he was the one who proposed Pistone for membership and was more of his right hand man than Lefty was.Knowing he would likely be killed. Who wouldn't want to be a wiseguy? (directed by) Writing Credits ( WGA) Cast (in credits order) verified as complete Produced by Music by Patrick Doyle . "[16] Peter Travers of Rolling Stone praised the film, saying that "Donnie Brasco is one terrific movie. He went into the bar under his apartment and left his valuables with the bartender whom he trusted. You can see him next as the villain Rhino in 'The Amazing Spider-Man 2,' and he'll star in 'Love and Mercy,' 'Madame Bovary' and 'The Congress. At the same time, Ruggiero and Brasco started a bookmaking operation out of the store.