" The truth will set you free "

Dead Man Walking

Sister Helen Prejean (Susan Sarandon) is a well liked nun and teacher who supports the less advantaged in her community. One day she receives a letter from a man on Death Row who has been committed for the rape and murder of two young teenagers. The man in question, Matthew Poncelet (Sean Penn) seeks out the sister as his final chance for a retrial. It soon becomes clear that Matthew's execution will be carried out and Sister Helen remains as a spiritual councilor trying to get Matthew to admit his crimes and achieve a degree of redemption for his sins. Sister Helen becomes Matthews last form of comfort and guidance as he struggles to admit his crimes and accept his fate.

Director Tim Robbins handles the sensitive topic with the utmost care, showcasing immense skill for only his second directorial effort. When dealing with powerful themes in cinema often a film will fail to reach the necessary emotional heights or try too hard, creating a film that is over dramatic and theatrical. Luckily Robbins gets it right and is able to do justice to the true story of Sister Helen.

The film focuses predominantly on the two characters and Robbins gets straight to the point in setting the scene. Sister Helen is a compassionate woman who has devoted herself to religion and the goodwill of others, whereas Poncelet is a convicted criminal of the most heinous crimes. As Sister Helen becomes drawn into the life of Poncelet, everyone around her feels confused as to why she continues to guide and support such an awful man. The nature of the facility and the steadily approaching date of his execution overwhelms her, yet she maintains her position as his councellor believing she can help him. This in turn becomes a beautiful friendship as she successfully begins to reach out to Poncelet. Never in the film are we made to see Poncelet as a good man, a man who deserves to be released or for this to be the perceived desire of Sister Helen. This is a film that explores the complex and controversial issue that is corporal punishment.

There is no doubt that this is one of those films that takes your breathe away, it is a tragic, painful and haunting film to watch influenced greatly by the interwoven flashbacks to the night of the murders. However at the same this is a film of undisputed beauty, whether its depicted in the kindness from Sister Helen, the intelligent filmmaking or the heartbreaking score. Perhaps the most effective aspect is that the film doesn't resort to preaching, instead you are left to make up your mind. As a result you are left evaluating the issue long after the film has ended, contemplating whether or not lethal injection is an acceptable means to die, whether or not it is ethical to kill someone convicted of a capital crime or whether or not it is our right as a society to kill a man at all. As is said in an accurate depiction of reality "It's easy to kill a monster. It's hard to kill a human being".

This is a film that could be used as a masterclass of acting. Susan Sarandon at the time was the wife of Robbins and she proves she was not simply cast due to her relationship with the director. She delivers a heartbreaking and captivating performance, portraying powerful emotions in virtually every scene. She was a worthy winner of her Oscar, except she should have been sharing it with her husband and fellow cast member Sean Penn. Penn is one of those rare actors that can deliver a memorable performance despite the genre. He has proven time and time again his skill as an actor and coming into this film you expect him to deliver a performance full of emotion and passion that is worthy of an Oscar and he certainly delivers.

This is an exhausting and emotionally draining film, however don't be put off as it is a film that deserves to be watched. Dead Man Walking showcases beautiful acting performances and exceptional directing talent while all the while dealing with one of the most contentious topics in modern society. The literal title acts as a constant reminder to the inevitable end to the film but Robbins ensures that the journey on Death Row is portrayed respectfully, with the final scenes being the most moving and memorable.

" Sometimes, a man rises from the darkness. "

The Dark Knight Rises

Eight years have passed since Harvey Dent's death and Gotham City is experiencing a time of peace where levels of crime and corruption are low.  Batman is still held responsible for the death of Dent and hasn't been seen since that night. Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) now lives as a crippled recluse, unable to move on from the tragic events that cost him the love of his life. Wayne realises that Gotham City may once again need Batman when a determined terrorist leader known as Bane (Tom Hardy) threatens to destroy the city.

Nolan's long awaited conclusion to the trilogy certainly lives up to its overwhelming expectations. The lesser known Batman villain, Bane asserts himself as a worthy villain as he proves he is as intelligent as he is powerful. Bane is introduced in spectacular fashion in the films opening sequence ensuring the audience is immediately intrigued by him. Although Hardy has his face covered up for the entirety of the film he is still able to deliver a very haunting performance. Bane is a menacing and intimidating presence on screen as well as an efficient leader who has a hoard of loyal followers that are prepared to die for him at whatever cost. I think the look of the character is perfect in terms of his mask and mannerisms but the voice unfortunately just doesn't fit. First audiences had to deal with Batman's gruff mumbling voice and now they are confronted with Bane, whose voice at times is very hard to understand and unfortunately causes some of his great dialogue to be lost.

The other new inclusions to the cast include: Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle/Catwoman, Marion Cotillard as Miranda a halfhearted attempt at a love interest for Wayne and Joseph Gordon-Levitt as John Blake a committed and honourable young cop. Hathaway is a real stand out as the cunning Catwoman who proves she has the smarts and skills to match it with the brute force and power of Bane and Batman. Gordon-Levitt has quite a large role in the film and his character Blake seems to understand the pain Wayne is going through better than most. Although Gordon-Levitt provides a strong performance he is unfortunately given the bulk of the corny lines and cliche scenes. The faithful trio, Alfred, Gordon and Fox also return, with Caine in particular giving his most moving performance of Alfred as he tries to secure the safety of Wayne by having him realise this is a battle he might not be able to win.

This is a dark film with very haunting characters and serious themes. The film in essence shows what would happen if a terrorist organisation was successful in gaining control over a city. The film has such a realistic feel to it as impressive shots of New York City are used for Gotham and familiar events are featured such as a football match. This results in Bane's terrorist attack evoking emotions that are all too real in present society. At the end of the day this is a film and should be viewed only as a source of fiction, but just maybe Nolan has made the film too realistic in it's themes of glorified violence and destruction.

One of the most gratifying ideas from the film is that there is always hope even when faced with overwhelming depression or tragedy.  The first act could be judged as too slow as there is very little action due to Wayne's depleted nature both physically and mentally. Similarly to Batman Begins there is very little evidence of a superhero as Batman hardly makes an appearance in the first half. However the film continues to build in anticipation so that Batman's inevitable rise in the final act is all the more impressive. Bale has delivered solid performances in both predecessors but he is challenged here to play a fallen hero who has to transform into the ultimate symbol of hope. Bale succeeds in every manner portraying such deep emotions of loss and undeniable determination convincingly.

The film may not be as good as The Dark Knight but if that's all this film is remembered for than audiences are not appreciating what Nolan has tried to achieve. Everything about this film screams conclusion and it's for that reason that the film is so successful. Nolan knew when going into the filming that he was making a finale not simply another sequel and as a result he isn't afraid to go out with a bang. The final hour would satisfy any fan of the series as Nolan delivers an unforgettable display of action and emotion all accompanied by the thunderous score of Hans Zimmer. 

In The Dark Knight Rises Nolan goes back to the origins of his trilogy to ensure every loose end is tied up whilst still ensuring there are several Nolanesque twists along the way. There are moments of corny dialogue and the pace of the film starts very slowly but by the time the film ends you realise you have just watched a truly epic masterpiece of such quality that is a rarity of modern cinema.

" Some men just want to watch the world burn "

The Dark Knight

The highly anticipated sequel to Nolan's impressive Batman Begins shows a Gotham City that is in control of crime and corruption thanks to the efforts of Batman, Lieutenant Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) and the ambitious new District Attorney, Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart). However things don't stay peaceful for long as the criminal mastermind known as The Joker (Heath Ledger) unleashes his own brand of chaos installing a sense of fear into the hearts of criminals and civilians alike.

The Dark Knight exploded onto the screen exceeding any expectations surrounding its potential, earning critical and box office success worldwide. A major reason for the film's success is Heath Ledger. His tragic and premature death meant The Dark Knight was a finale like performance, and boy was it a performance. It is well known that Ledger's performance was nothing less than extraordinary, even earning him a posthumous Oscar for best supporting actor. So what is it that makes his performance so memorable? For starters Ledger had the most amazing script and scenes to work with written by Christopher and Jonathan Nolan as well as a great make up and costume department. But all that counts for nothing without the right actor, Ledger transformed himself into the character with such energy and excitement that his portrayal was simply compulsive to watch. Nowadays you can't go to a dress up party without seeing one or usually multiple jokers, his character has become an iconic symbol of pop culture with his actions and quotes made famous, "why so serious?".

The Dark Knight follows on with the themes of Batman Begins exploring the blurry line between good and evil, hero and villain and asks the question how can Batman remain ethically sound when faced with such a villain as The Joker. The Joker is unmistakeably a villain, he shows no sense of compassion or humility using his intelligence to execute psychotic plans. What makes him so dangerous is that he isn't after money or power he is simply bored, looking to create chaos and destruction simply because he can. Harvey Dent is a much more complicated character as his character and moral code is tested when The Joker tries to expose his inner anger and list for revenge. There is no doubt that Ledger's Joker is the star of the film but Eckhart provides a very strong performance as the white knight of Gotham City.

Perhaps my only criticism from the film is the casting change of Rachel. I don't know whether it was Katie Holmes' choice to leave the role or she was asked to, but whatever the reason it's just annoying. Especially given the fate of the character there was no need to change actresses, sure Gyllenhall gives a strong performance and is better than Holmes but it takes away from the realism of the film as you start to see the actors/actresses as just that and not characters. Returning in the film are Batman's support network consisting of Alfred (Michael Caine), Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman) and Lt. Gordon (Gary Oldman) whose role is fleshed out as the always consistent presence of the police force. Christian Bale also reprises his role of Batman/Bruce Wayne, but this time the film is more focused on the villains than developing his character.

The Dark Knight has one of the best opening scenes of all time, it is so incredibly sharp and clever that you know immediately this is a film worth watching. The film ends just as strongly as it starts combining action, suspense and drama along with a moving philosophical overtone. This is a movie packed full of memorable scenes, whether its an impressive action sequence showing off Batman's new gadgets, watching the joker break out of prison or a moral choice on the harbour with consequences of life and death. It's as if Nolan is trying to better himself with every scene, in which he continually succeeds.

The Dark Knight is definitely the darkest batman film and one of the darkest superhero films ever made, but it suits the character of Batman. This isn't a film where the greatest suspense lies in whether or not the girl will find out the superheros true identity. The Dark Knight deals with violent and confronting scenes, serious moral choices and a superhero that remains a feared 'vigilante' of the night. One of the greatest aspects of the film is the suspense, the audience is constantly made to wonder what will happen next prepared for anything.For the most part you forget that you are watching a superhero film it isn't until Batman soars through the city on his cape that you are reminded what type of film you are watching and how far the genre has come.

The best way for any movie to make lots of money is for it to be good. A film can hire the biggest stars and have the most expensive advertising campaign but for a movie to be successful on the scale of The Dark knight it has to not just be a good film but a great film. Many fans will flock to the opening night or see a film with high expectations on its opening weekend but its the sign of a quality film when viewers are still swarming in on the tenth, eleventh, twelfth week.

I have great respect for Nolan for wanting to conclude the trilogy despite the enormous box office and critical success that he has achieved. there is no doubt that this is a franchise that could have made many more successful films but a quality director knows when to stop. The Dark Knight Rises is perhaps the most highly anticipated film of the year and what a task it was for Nolan to undertake. How could he possibly better the Dark Knight? The answer is he doesn't need to, all that we can hope is that Nolan provides a satisfying conclusion to his epic vision of which I am confident he will deliver.

" To conquer fear, you must become fear "

Batman Begins

The bold origin story to director Christopher Nolan's visionary Batman trilogy. When Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) is very young he witnesses the pointless death of both his parents in a mugging that goes horribly wrong. Several years later Wayne is still haunted by the death of his parents and seeks revenge for their murder. When his attempts fail Wayne seeks guidance in Asia from mentor Henri Ducard (Liam Neeson) who is part of an ancient order known as The League of Shadows. After many years of training Wayne realises that he must return to Gotham City, which has become corrupt and overrun by criminals. Wayne vows to fight criminals in the name of justice using his childhood fear of bats to create his alter-ego known as; Batman.

Nolan bravely dedicates the whole movie to developing a detailed backstory to the characters Bruce Wayne and Batman. It's great to see a reboot take a new approach and frankly there was little choice as the franchise was effectively dead in the water after the unforgettable Batman and Robin. I have absolute faith in the vision of Nolan as he is yet to make a bad film, continuing to raise the bar for quality. Most superhero origin films typically fast forward through the hero's backstory in an attempt to establish a villain quickly. Nolan instead embraces the life of Wayne and crafts the film around his upbringing.

The character of Batman has all the trademarks of a typical superhero backstory: A city in need of a hero, the death of ones parents and a love interest, Rachel Dawes (Katie Holmes). The main difference with batman is he doesn't have superpowers, instead he has millions of dollars and a well equipped company at his disposal. The journey from millionaire playboy to superhero is established as a long and hard fought road. Wayne doesn't simply acquire special abilities he has to transform his body and mind, refining his skills and abilities through rigorous training. In this aspect Batman is humanised as we are able to witness his transformation firsthand.

Throughout the film Wayne struggles with the identity of Batman, is he merely a caped vigilante seeking revenge for his parents death or is he the noble hero Gotham City has been waiting for. Wayne/Batman has to struggle between what is revenge and what is justice as he tries to forget his past and embrace his fear. Ultimately Batman becomes the server of justice in an attempt to restore Gotham City to its peaceful past.

Christian Bale is not a very popular actor, he is disliked by many due to his very serious personality. I think part of the problem is that he constantly takes on very difficult roles, from a serial killer in American Psycho to an insomniac in The Machinist. I really like him as an actor and I'm glad he was rewarded with an Oscar last year for his role in The Fighter. His performance in Batman Begins is excellent as he transforms from a troubled, lost man into the powerful and imposing figure that is Batman. Neeson is mesmerising as always as the controversial mentor for Wayne, imposing his own sense of wisdom in regards to issues such as justice, "justice is balance".

Throughout Nolan's career he has remained faithful to the actors that have provided him with strong performances, none more so than Michael Caine. Caine has become Nolan's lucky charm, appearing in all his films of late but it's the role of Alfred that he was born to play. It's a strange thing to say given his impressive achievements as an actor, yet it's true as he is perfect in every scene he appears in. Alfred is the skeptical, worrying, father-figure for Wayne, always there to impart wisdom and offer advice. Alfred is in many ways the conscience of Batman letting him know when he has gone too far, whilst always believing in his ultimate goal. The other confidants to Wayne/Batman come in the form of Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman) and Jim Gordan (Gary Oldman) who both influence Batman's endeavors immensley and always manage to bring the story back to reality.

Batman Begins is an excellent origin film but Nolan may have spent just a bit too much time developing the backstory as he has neglected to provide audiences with an interesting villain. There are in fact three different villains in this film intertwined in an impressive story, yet maybe that's three too many. All three are underdeveloped, I would have liked to see Nolan focus on just two villains, possibly discarding The Scarecrow as I didn't really like his input to the story. But this film isn't really about establishing a strong villain, this film is about setting the foundation for what was to come and as always it pays to have faith in Nolan.

The film continually builds in suspense and excitement as we watch Bruce Wayne transform into the legendary hero. Nolan gives the audiences a taste of the action and drama that is to come with the tumbler introduced in the explosive conclusion and a calling card left indicating the next villain. Batman Begins showcases Nolan's abilities as a director whilst always hinting at his grand plan, despite the potential Nolan has showed over his career I don't think anyone was prepared for what was to come.

" You can't win a marathon without putting some bandaids on your nipples! "

Horrible Bosses

Three ordinary men; Nick (Jason Bateman), Kurt (Jason Sudeikis) and Dale (Charlie Day) share a common burden... their bosses. Quitting is not an option for the trio so instead they halfheartedly indulge in the thought of eliminating their bosses over a few beers. As situations become extreme at work they decide to commit to their idea in the form of hiring a hit man. They eventually stumble across ex-con man Dean 'MF' Jones (Jamie Foxx) who acts as murder consultant for the three refusing to do the murders himself. What results is a hilarious demonstration of stealth and conspiracy as the three execute their plan of attack.

The trio have excellent chemistry on screen which is the main reason for the films success. I hadn't seen Day or Sudeikis in anything before this film but I'm sure I will be seeing more of them in the future as they are deliver standout performances displaying excellent comic timing. Bateman worked well when he was with the other characters but ultimately he was pretty annoying. He so often plays the unlikeable/irritable character and this film is no exception. Foxx is hilarious as the shady murder consultant who steals every scene he is in (not many) delivering some truly memorable lines including how he got his infamous nickname.

The films boasts a very impressive cast with the three bosses played with immense enthusiasm by Kevin Spacey, Jennifer Aniston and Colin Farrell. They all immersed themselves in their roles playing larger than life characters including a sleazy tool, slave-driving psycho and a sex crazed maneater. With roles such as these the actors really had to have fun with their characters and I think all three of them would have had a great time. To their credit all of them transformed completely into their characters even becoming almost unrecognisable in Farrell's case. My only negative towards their performances was that I didn't see enough of them, the majority of their scenes were already seen in the trailer and I would have liked to have seen the three bosses get more screen time.

Ultimately the films greatest success comes from the three screenwriters; Michael Markowitz, John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein who really bring all the actors together in a whirlwind of chaos and humour. The three create a very entertaining screenplay not holding back in terms of profanity, sexual innuendo or gross out humour in what is essentially a very dark topic. Director Seth Gordon has embraced the style of comedy with enthusiasm allowing the writers and actors to have a great amount of freedom with the end result one of the funniest comedies of the year.

It's important to see this film as a comedy and not take the movie too seriously, as the three commit to their absurd idea of killing their bosses they quickly find themselves in over their heads. This is where the true comical aspect of the film lies as the trio have complete realisation they are not cut out for this line of work and in turn demonstrate a how-not-to-guide for house burglary, conspiracy and murder. Horrible Bosses is a guilty pleasure, where you just can't help but succumb to the humour and laugh out loud.

" There's nothing stopping us "

Chronicle

Three young friends stumble across a suspicious hole in the ground and subsequently venture down the tunnel until they find a meteorite like substance. After their discovery they acquire new 'powers' such as telekinesis which they use as a source of amusement. As the trio experiment with their new found abilities they start to test the limits of what they are capable of. The trio soon discover that their powers can result in dangerous consequences both for themselves and others around them.

This is a smart independent film from first time director Josh Trank that has gained an impressive degree of popularity. The idea of an ordinary person acquiring superpowers was first explored brilliantly in Kick-Ass and the concept is refreshing after the recent onslaught of blockbuster superhero movies. Chronicle takes a darker approach exploring the relationships within the trio as they come to grips with their new found found freedom and power.  As friendships are tested their abilities prove harder to control leading to tragic, irreversible actions.

The film may not have any well known stars but the three friends; Andrew (Dane DeHaan), Matt (Alex Russel) and Steve (Michale B. Jordan) are all played by promising young actors. More notably Alex Russel starred in the underrated film Wasted On the Young, a gripping film that explores family loyalties and revenge. Whilst Michale B. Jordan has appeared in two highly regarded TV shows; The Wire and Friday Night Lights as well as a string of recent movies. All three actors have excellent chemistry together and provide strong performances. Andrew is the focus for the film as he is the one who documents or 'chronicles' the events. Fortunately Trank takes time to develop the characters especially Andrew, the audience is made aware of Andrew's tragic home life and his social isolation at school, leading to a degree of sympathy and understanding for the decisions he makes. Trank cleverly depicts the changing perception Andrew has of himself and those around him as the movie progresses and the ongoing struggle he lives with not to give into temptation.

The camera is as much a character in the film as the three boys. Early on in the movie Trank committed to the found footage effect where the movie was told mainly through Andrew's camera and to his credit the effect was continued throughout the movie. Often movies start with a character telling the story with a personal camera but abandon the effect half way through due to the difficulty of scenes such as panning over a city to see the destruction left by an alien. The audience is simply meant to accept the change but in Chronicle Trank very cleverly allows the whole movie to be told through the 'perspective' of the camera through some simple yet effective explanations such as the use of security cameras. The camera acts as part of Andrew's personality, almost dictating the mood and tempo of the film, the end result is a very sharp and realistic  looking film, not shaky or unclear which is common when trying to achieve the hand-held effect.

Chronicle doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not. There are minimal explosions and chaos, instead Trank chooses to display realistic visual effects none better than the scenes where the boys experiment with flying. I didn't expect the effects to be so effective due to the low budget, but they have been cleverly included into the film and not overdone. Even the dramatic climax has been done with care and consideration with most of the dramatic effect coming from different camera perspectives and locations.

Chronicle is a simple idea, however every good idea needs to be executed well and that is Chronicle's greatest success, Trank has managed to create an authentic and exciting film that explores the intriguing relationship between three friends. The film touches on the familiar day dream that many people have if only I could... Whether its moving an object with your mind or simply flying above the clouds, Chronicle shows what happens when those day dreams become a reality.

" Time is luck "

Miami Vice

Based on the hit TV show of the same name, Miami Vice focuses on FBI detectives Sonny Crockett (Colin Farrell) and Ricardo Tubbs (Jamie Foxx) as they go undercover to investigate a local narcotics operation. The operation has been linked to numerous deaths and there are fears that a Government agency is leaking them critical information. As a result Crockett and Tubbs are sent in off the books and authorised to use whatever means necessary to find out who is leaking the information. The case tests Crockett's and Tubbs loyalty for one another as controversial tactics are used and personal relationships are endangered.

Michael Mann is a highly regarded director who has directed some truly great movies including Heat and Collateral but this is definitely not one of his crowning achievements. The movie is simply hard to watch. One of the first things I noticed about the film was the excess use of close ups. Sure close ups can be a very effective tool to direct the viewers attention and establish importance in a scene but for the majority of the time in this film the shots are very blurry and ultimately ineffective. For a director who is known for his excellent cinematography it was a real surprise. I think one of the problems with Mann as director is that he was an executive producer for the TV series. The movie needed a director who wasn't involved in the show, that way a fresh approach could be taken without any confusion arising from their previous involvement with the show.

Mann's involvement with the show could be a possible reason for the pathetic attempts at character development as he leaves too much to be presumed from the audience. In fact there is basically no character development at all. The romantic relationships involving actresses Noamie Harris and Li Gong are lazy developed and they serve only as sidebars to the detectives. The partnership between Crockett and Tubbs was given little thought at all and as a result the pair have no chemistry. The performances of Fox and Farrell are certainly not supported by the lines they are given or the situations they are put in, yet they both deliver uncharacteristically poor performances. The duo strut around with the same dull expression and tone of voice attempting to outdo the other in an impersonation of a tough, street wise detective. However neither of them pull it off, appearing uncomfortable rather than confident and cool.

The opening scene was very engaging as the team are pulling an operation in a crowded club, and the main characters are introduced successfully. Yet Mann never returns to the characters lives to provide a back story. The film has that expensive look to it as fast cars and boats litter the screen, yet they really add nothing to the film except provide a good addition to the trailer. The film reminded me a lot of Bad Boys (which is a terrible movie) but at least in that film the crime fighting duo had some chemistry and the occasional bit of humour. One area where Miami Vice is exceedingly superior to Bad Boys is the approach taken to the action scenes. Mann is very restrained when it comes to an explosion or climatic scene (unlike Bay) a trait that is common in his filmmaking. However the film only scratches the surface of his ability as a filmmaker.

This is a film that seemed like a good idea at the time and was probably given lots of money to be developed, but unfortunately the money was wasted. The characters are uninteresting and the plot is underdeveloped, combined with riveting dialogue such as "can't do the time, don't mess with the crime" this film is one you should ignore.

 

" I'm not becoming like them, I am them. "

Donnie Brasco

A true story about FBI agent Joe Pistone (Johnny Depp) and his infiltration into the New York mafia syndicate. Pistone assumes the identity of Donnie Brasco a small time jeweler and befriends Lefty Ruggiero (Al Pacino). Lefty is a loyal member of the faction led by Sonny Black (Michael Madsen) and helps Brasco gain their trust. Lefty looks after Brasco as if he is his protege and Brasco in turn becomes a valued member of the organisation. As Brasco continues his long time investigation he has to sacrifice his home life including spending time with his wife and children. Brasco starts to lose grip of his previous life as he is sucked into the life of a gangster resulting in suspicion from his handlers and his wife.

It is almost confusing seeing Depp play a serious role as he has predominantly resided in eccentric comical characters of late. Yet his acting list boasts some very impressive dramatic performances such as Secret Window, Finding Neverland and Chocolat showcasing his versatility as an actor. Depp's performance was perfect as the multilayered character of Brasco/Pistone displaying the internal struggle Pistone went through when assuming a new identity whilst all the while trying to stay true to his own true identity. Ultimately this is a story of dedication where Pistone selfishly gave up everything, completely engrossing himself in the brutal world of the mafia.

At first glance Pacino's performance is very familiar playing a violent, wise cracking gangster with a fiery temper. Pacino has almost become typecast in this gangster role as it is his performances in films such as The Godfather and Scarface that helped establish his as a legendary actor.  Pacino's character in Donnie Brasco is still a wise cracking gangster and he does constantly brag about his 26 hits however he is not an overly aggressive character and there is certainly more to his character than one might expect.

Pacino expertly demands sympathy from the audience and as the movie continues you can't help but feel sorry for Lefty as he is destined to be tragically taken down by the FBI due to Brasco's collection of evidence. The most sympathetic aspect to Lefty is the fact that he becomes so close to Brasco, the most moving scene in the film comes when Lefty cries on Brasco's shoulder due to his son being in hospital for a drug overdose. It is evident that Brasco has become more than just a friend to Lefty he has become like a son. Is is Pistone's relationship with Lefty that causes so much confusion with his investigation, for he wasn't prepared to see these brutal gangsters expressing such human emotions. Brasco no longer sees these men as names on page that have to be taken down, he sees them for what they really are, men just like him.

It is evident that Pistone's relationship with Lefty in real life has influenced the characterisation in the film as Lefty is shown to be a caring father and a loyal friend. Lefty is depicted as a generous mentor who takes Brasco under his wing teaching him the lessons of how to be a 'wise guy' with quotable advise such as "A wise guy's always right even when he's wrong he's right".  Although the line between good and bad is blurred the viewer is always reminded as to who is the hero and who is he villain.

This is a film showcasing two very strong performances in two very unique roles. This remarkable true story shows the sacrifice and perseverance of Agent Pistone and the complexity of his duties as an informant. The film displays a very honest account of Pistone's assignment as well as an authentic perception of the gangster Lefty Ruggiero. I urge you not to overlook this film as another run of the mill gangster film as it offers originality and engaging insight.