Kurzbein

Based on real people and events, Donnie Brasco covers territory that I've not seen covered in other mob films. It examines the price that gets paid by those working undercover as well as their families. While unflinching in portraying the brutality of the mob, the film weaves a thread of sympathy into the fabric of mafia life and suggests that what motivates mobsters isn't always money, power or savage instinct. As much as possible, Donnie Brasco humanizes its mafia subjects without excusing their brutal acts and reveals the fundamental trap of gang life.

Pacino and Depp are truly masterful in their performances. I watched the film once again last night, and it's just a pleasure to watch them work. I can't imagine any other pair of actors approaching the verity they bring to the screen. I highly recommend Donnie Brasco.

For years and years in the 50's and 60's the western was the leading genre in movies. Now, the gangster film currently enjoys that title, and "Snatch" stands as one of the more enjoyable of that lot. "Snatch" sets out to entertain, pure and simple. As you'd expect from a film about Cockney gangsters, the film offers distinct, quirky characters. It helps greatly that skillful actors inhabit each part and clearly relish the opportunities. Add the visual and editing stylishness informed by the director's experience with music videos, good choices in pop music (except for the Madonna stuff), and lots of plot twists, and you get an entertaining film. It's not Oscar-worthy stuff, but it is fun.

A word about Brad Pitt's accent in the film. Many have called it the worst Irish accent they've ever heard. This would be an insult to Pitt's craft but for the fact that it's plainly explained in the film that he's not Irish. He's a "gypo", or gypsy. And while he may have Irish ancestry, his gypsy vocation incents him to muddle his pronunciation and accent to something that sounds vaguely like speaking but is nearly completely unintelligible at first blush (one catches on after a few listens).

The obvious reason to recommend Sexy Beast is Ben Kingsley's stunning, forceful performance. Kingsley plays the Don Logan character with single-minded focus and calculated nastiness. He stuns us not so much with what he does, which is plenty rough, but with what he appears capable of doing. All one can hope for when one encounters a person like this is to survive the encounter and the scrapes and bruises that accompany it.

Kingsley's performance could easily have overpowered the other actors were they not up to the task. But they were, and they make their characters more than the caricatures they easily could have become. Ray Winstone has the most difficult assignment because he has to match Kingsley's intensity but not his power, and in managing that task, Winstone gives the performance of the film.

Sexy Beast is yet another caper film, but the plot has enough twists and the characters enough quirks to keep it interesting. The film is visually stylish, but not overly so. The dialog has a poetic quality. Some great choices were made for music. And then there are moments of genuine quirkiness and humor. In short, the film is serious but doesn't take itself too seriously. Basically, this is a film about people trying to preserve the niche they've carved for themselves when outside forces try to destroy it, and it's thoroughly enjoyable.