I've seen Donnie Brasco probably 10 times and the scene where they bash the Japanese guy in the tiolet of the Japanese restaurant never gets any easier for me. Everytime I mention this to others who have seen this film, I get the impression that nobody else is as affected by the scene as me. Anyone else find that scene DEEPLY disturbing?
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I rewind that scene everytime...Brilliant!
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But that is only because I didn't realize that most people shared my hatred for waiters. I would always give a waiter a good beating if I could.
The fact that he was Japanese makes no difference to me at all.
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the scene serves to show how volatile these guys can be if stirred. Like a disturbed hornets nest, they will revert to their staple of sheer violence to get the 'message across' if they dont get their way. When i first saw this scene with the waiter insisting they take off their shoes i thought, 'u idiot, u have no idea whats comin'. Then when they do a job on him it's like, 'told ya'. ;)
In the end, there can only be one...
I agree with the first poster.
That scene was revolting.
First, how can you approve a group of guys beating severely an innocent man who was trying to do his job ?
Also, there was no way he could know they were mafia and therefore treat them with kid gloves. But Hell ! He shouldn't have too.
These guys are real thugs and they don't give a *beep* about anyone but themselves and their families. They have no mercy. That is the Mafia. Not a real nice group of folks.
I am really surprised that everyone except the first poster got off on this violent scene.
I am not saying this scene should not be in the movie. I am just saddened that it wasn't upsetting to you.
You guys really scare me.
Peace,
Michelle
I
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There was no japanese waiter incident in real life.
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he may not have knew that they they were mafioso's but he still knew the risks involved so its his own fault. lol. love the scene rewind it at least 3 times. donnie brasco kicks ass!!
Why does everyone keep repeating the birthday joke?
Everyone is not repeating the b-day joke. If you paid closer attn. you'd notice it was from the same poster and it's his signature quote he has at the end of all his posts.
shareif i paid closer attention??chill out buddy im just asking, you could have told me wihtout the hostility. but whatever it's all good.thanks for informing me.
shareDepphead--I'm with you. Some of these posters, like Snarkynason or whatever, the ones talking about rewinding and all, are genuinely scary --like the people who applauded that 250 or so people were executed under Perry during Republican debate. Applaud? No soul. Empty zombies. Lord of the flies.
I have to hope they are only writing this to be controversial and don't mean it.
BUT -- apart from the politics of it -- I thought the scene had a role to play.
by - depphead12 on Sat May 6 2006 17:45:50
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------I agree with the first poster.
That scene was revolting.
First, how can you approve a group of guys beating severely an innocent man who was trying to do his job ?
Michelle, you have here mostly a bunch of fantasy weenies whom can't be and aren't mafioso hit men in their real lives so they get a big thrill cheery claiming they love the TV violence. It merely plays out their their unused hormonal imbalances more commonly known as the disease of being a male. Better yet, when they get a real touchy feely person and especially a chicakadee complaining about it, it only drives the fantasy into deeper hyper teeniebopper mode.
Rest assured most of them would stand on the dime and wet their drawers as they got the crap beat out of them by the real thing. Until that unlikely day they can all pretend they're all for it.
It's like the pc race whiners only opposite. Those types can't wait to dive like ravenous beast from the netherworld upon the hapless blokester whom dares to let out a peeping hint that might in fact have some problem with skin colors not their own. Doesn't matter if they really do or not, and it doesn't matter if they're three shades of green in real life and were scalped by a nazi skinhead as a pre-teen.
It just "works" to be the purist shining halo of pc purity and wholeness and love for humanity if you do a frontal lobototomy on the "suspected vermin racist". That way the personal purity and self esteem can get a big fat online rise going, which is some other form of chemical hormonal lift- akin to the played out steriodal love of a good beating seen on the tube.
Then of course there are those that will chime in with overtly racist text if only to shutup the pc race policers or get a rise out of them, either way that's another hip mode of exchange.
It didn't appear to me by your text that you were being disingenuous nor am I saying specifically anyone else was. I just wanted to relate to you my interpretation of the likely outcome if real life situations arise. In other words, what everyone says is not neccessarily what everyone would do, and it is more likely that there are larger differences in that than similarities.
Unless one has personal experiences, it is never certain what the actual reaction may be. A bad mood or a good mood, a bit of anger or frustration or an elation due to a new trinket- and the reaction to a real life situation could all go a different way for anyone. What is said about it can be somewhat taken for what it is- talk.
I don't think people should be surprised about any reaction, pro or con- good or bad- like dislike - racist or not - people do have different personalities and experiences in life and certainly those do some sort of guiding upon what they text and how they interpret - and perhaps the viewpoint is just as valid as the next even if it is commonly given a thumbs down by another.
Did you grow up in Beverly Hills or Middle america or on the street or in the hood or in the jungles of South America or on your aun'ts farm or in the household of a crime family ? It all makes a difference, even if the actions of all still are bound to the circumstances of consequences.
I worked at a couple of places in Boston in the late '90s that were frequented by some people that were pretty obviously connected. When you live and work in an environment that has dangerous people, you need to learn when to stand your ground, and when to back down. Starting an intimidation game with obviously dangerous people is just a bad move. Especially over something as minor as foorwear. The scene was disturbing to me, but it made sense in the context, and was there for a reason. To the first poster, it's a good thing to be disturbed by that level of unnecessary violence.
I just thought I'd chime in, as someone who has been in similar situations, I just put my priorities in a different order than the character of the waiter did.
Words and stuff,
Big Frankie C
www.myspace.com/BigFrankieC
It was just a scene that is supposed to show how far Donnie would go to protect his cover. Once the first punch was thrown, that's exactly the beating would have gone down.
And remember, it's just a movie.
Short Cut, Draw Blood
"I rewind that scene everytime...Brilliant!"
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LOL!
You're either a chick or another sensitive american. Where are your balls man? In my country military service is obligatory for one year of your life...I'd like to see how you would cope!
TyLeR DuRdEn
The scene didn't disturb me at all. I thought it was hilarious, largely because it was such a ridiculous scenario. (beating some waiter up over shoes, not the actual reason - the wire)
All in all, I saw it as good art. Some actor pretending to be beaten by a group of actors.
However, I can completely sympathise with those who were disturbed because it's understandable feeling uneasy if one put oneself in the waiter's shoes and went over and over the emotions the poor lad was feeling.
I just watched it for the second time,and I have to admit,this scene really did disturb me.I think it's the noises the waiter makes as he's being beaten - which is obviously what was intended,as the following scene is of Donnie/Joe listening to his tape recording of the beating.I don't think the waiter was out of line at all and definitely didn't deserve that.The whole point of the scene is that Donnie is upset by it and the fact that this poor guy had to suffer that because of him.
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The waiter didn't ask for it.He was just doing his job.Realistically,the most that any normal person would do is get into an argument or leave the restaurant but the point is to show the gangsters believe themselves to be superior to everyone else and think they can get away with anything.
shareI'm just saying...
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Although that incident did not happen during Pistone's investigation, I thought it was necessary to the movie. It showed how Pistone had to think on his feet, and the bond, trust and mutual respect that he and Sonny were having. Notice how Sonny and the crew were all obliging at first, and Sonny was getting annoyed at Donnie for holding them up. Donnie had to make up on the spot that the reason he was an orphan was because his father was killed in the Korean War, refusing to acknowledge any asian custom. Thus, in turn stirred Sonny's emotions, feeling Donnie's so called loss. Sonny stands up for Donnie now stating that Donnie, nor any of them will remove their shoes out of respect to Donnie's dead father. Now when the waiter/host still refuses to seat them without the removal of their shoes, the beating occurs...this was done purely for Donnie's benefit more than the non-compliance of the waiter/host. Donnie listening to the beating on the tape later shows that the risk of his investigation is not solely on him, but on anyone he happens to come across. It was either him or the waiter.
I recommened to anyone who has not read the book 'Donnie Brasco' My undercover life in the Mafia by Joe Pistone and Richard Woodley and enjoy the movie, to do so without hesitation. It's so much more in depth and you will really begin to understand the Mafia as it is...not what you see in most other movies.
Joe Pistone aka Donnie Brasco, did an amazing job, and I cannot begin to imagine what is was like for him and his family from the day he went under to today, where there is still a open $500,000 contract out on his life, but that book will give the reader an inkling.
Joseph D. Pistone, I salute you, and to the original poster, yes, I find this scene hard to watch also.
I couldn't agree more. Am not exactly a big fannadiss movie but I enjoyed it when I saw it.
Think ovvit diss way: You have two people so two points of view
Pistone/Brasco: Has a tape recorder in his boot and, if he takes his boots
of, he will blow his cover and may even be killed.
Waiter at Jappo place:Doing his job. Dusnt know that Brasco is a stoolie Fed
and he suffered the consequences of insisting Brasco
removes his footwear.
Its your call but I gotta side wid Donnie-boy on diss
Good impro by Donnie/Joe
"He broke the Omerta. He suffered the consequences"
LOL
The Korean War..
The waiter was doing his job, he did NOT "ask for it." Are you a mafia buttlicker or something?
I'd cope by telling your caveman government to stick it's military service up it's ass and choose prison time instead. And yeah I know all too well what prison's are like in many other countries, I've studied many Amnesty International reports.
Maybe you have no balls and can't say no to being trained as an enforced murderer and are too chicken *beep* to go to prison instead?
Poor waiter but I do have to give him credit for being firm...hey...at least he got to threw a fist at Donnie Brasco.
shareErr...hard one...
Both yes and no. I can't say it disturbs me, but eh...yeah...
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It was a messed up scene. The waiter was just doing his job, and got the $hit beat out of him for it. The waiter did try to fight back, got to give him credit for that. Donnie Brasco was a great movie. I don't think it gets the credit it desereves, with godfather and goodfellas being it's shadow. Very good movie.
shareI don't see how anyone could not be disturbed by this scene, unless they have no soul. The waiter was doing his job and I admired him for not backing down to a bunch of dumbassess who think they are badass.
share"I don't see how anyone could not be disturbed by this scene, unless they have no soul. The waiter was doing his job and I admired him for not backing down to a bunch of dumbassess who think they are badass. "
Well said, mate.
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THe Japanese guy was steadfast about his customs and traditions. And no one assumes that if you tell people to obey comapny policy that they will find themselves beat almost to death. I doesn't matter if he knew the were wiseguys, its ridiculous.
This scene isn't there to show that Pistone had think quickly on his feet, but rather to show how in trying to combat them he had actually become one of them. He had become the very evil that he was trying to combat. He had become a wolf to catch a wolf, and that is not at all what the FBI desired for him, and that is ultamitly why they felt they had to pull him out. In trying to court the beast he become one.
what? It shows how great Joseph D. Pistone truly was, it DOES show his ability to think quickly on his feet, what other options did he have..? Take his shoes off and get caught? Please, this scene is in place to show that brasco had earnt their undivided trust and respect while still remaining an undercover agent, they had no idea whatsoever or they would have questioned him then! These "wise guys" arnt stupid... pistone was one or more steps ahead.
sharewith that kinda outlook im sure you wouldnt live long in a bad environment, these "dumbasses" arnt exactly the time of people you get the impression of via the media!!!!!!!!
sharethey bombed pearl harbor!
shareI agree, the scene was very disturbing, but it important to the plot of the movie. These guys are not the tuxedo wearing businessmen that you see in the Godfather movies. They are violent street thugs that will beat or kill someone just to get their way. That's coming across in a lot of the mafia entertainment. It reminds me of that episode of the Sopranos where Paulie and Christopher killed a waiter over a tip.
shareI kind of did feel bad for the waiter, because if Donnie didn't have the tape recorder in his foot/boot then he would have taken his shoes off and the waiter wouldn't have caught a beating. But, since he didn't want to blow his cover he told Sonny that his old man was killed in Okinawa and he was an orphan
as a result and refused to take his shoes off. The waiter DID get out of line with his tone, and shot Sonny a serious look which I think did justify his beating, ACCORDING to Sonny who was a GANGSTER, who was a CAPO, who had an EGO,
and who simply would not and should not have to take that lip from anyone who
was not his superior (Family wise) especially a waiter, and a very convincing Donnie brasco. But then again its just a movie, so "MR. Moto", never got his ass kicked, instead got some autographs, got paid for his role, got a part in a movie, so all in all, he didn't make off too bad, ey?
P.S. Donnie @#$%^ it up for everyone in the movie. Nicky got whacked cuz of Donnie, the waiter got beat cuz of Donnie, and Lefty gets killed cuz of Donnie (In the movie).
with the exception of the waiter in the movie, I do not feel sorry for any of them. Donnie was a good guy doing an awful job. Nickey, Lefty and Sonny were not anybody to cry over.
shareWhy were they scumbags? because they were gangsters? It was their bread and butter, it was what they knew as working in mcdonalds, or being a CEO in a big corporation is to others. Did you know them personally? They were probably great family men, who loved their kids, their wives, etc. As far as it goes to Donnie, I think he was a scumbag. Leaving his wife for months to take care of the kids, while he plays cowboy, infiltrating the mob, decieving people who trusted him, Thats where you an I differ, I think of Law enforcement as scumbags, the same way you think of gangsters being scumbags. One minute he's telling Lefty he wants to stay with his in the hospital when Left's kid OD'd acting like he cares, and the next minute he's passing tapes to the pigs.
shareThey were scumbags because they murdered people and stole for a living. It doesn't matter if that is all they knew. What they knew was stealing and killing. I don't even care about the gambling or the prostitution. But there is really no way to defend theft and murder.
It can also be reasonably argued that there are quite a few scumbag law enforcement officers. But I don't believe that Pistone was one of them.
Hey... Everyone is entitled to their opinion.
shareWould anyone feel better about the beating had the waiter been a European working in the Japanese restaurant, or an African, South American, Australian, or Antarctican?
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Exactly, bigjoef. He was a total ball breaker and got just what he deserved. He was lucky that he caught a beating in the restaurant bathroom, because if it happened in a "witness free" zone. "Mr. Moto" would be "Mr. Golow" into the ground that is.
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The waiter also has to understand that "Japanese tradition" would be ok in Japan, but you are in America and you should cater to your customers needs, not Americans don't have to follow japanese traditions especially when they are barked at you, given to you with an attitude, especially when you are a capo. He should have sent Sonny a card with a thank you note stating "Thank you for not killing me and letting me live to enjoy japanese tradition."
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Hate to spoil, but it never happened in real life. If you read Det Pistone's book, you will see that half of the things in the film never happened, and the other half didn't quite go down the way they are portrayed in the film.
shareHA!!!!!! JoeyF! that is probably the exact card he would send to Sonny.
share*beep* A! couldnt have said it better myself! lmao.... forgetaboutit....
shareI try to be an open-minded guy, but I hate Antarcticans. Talk about a bunch of self-important snobs. They all look alike, they are all illiterate, and they just waddle around, and swim, and eat fish, and according to some films, umm... have big dance numbers to silly music.
Stupid Antarcticans.
Why do they always wear tuxedos?
*incomprehensible grumbling*,
Big Frankie C
www.myspace.com/BigFrankieC