Pacino or Depp? - Donnie Brasco (1997) Discussion

[–] Cocayine 12 years ago

Pacino, obviously, but Depp is really awesome too and I have a lot of respect for him.

reply

[–] jajceboy 12 years ago

I think both did great. Pacino did his best work here since perhaps 1993. Yes, it is mob man but it's not a godfather.
Instead he was at the bottom and feeling frustrated about not getting anywhere. Brilliantly played by Pacino.

Depp was also very good. I think that most people up to this point saw him as a pretty face, nothing more. That he got roles due to being pretty. But he showed that he could play real people and not just quirky and weird fictional characters.

reply

[–] manage-932-700755 12 years ago

Is the question who is better in this movie? Or who is the bestter actor overall? Totally different roles in the movie. I'd have to go slightly wiht Pacino. Overall, Pacino also, but I confess to nort seeing that many of Depp's films. Could Depp have played some of Pacino's greatest roles, suhc as those in "the Godfather," "Godfather 2" and "Scarface"? I think he could have, but I'd still opt for Pacino, but both are great.

reply

[–] MyDarkStar 12 years ago

Pacino. I actually think this was one of his best roles, in the top 10 at least. He was really good in getting the audience to believe he was just some over-the-hill schlump loser who even after 28 years still had no kind of true respect among his fellow mafia comrades.

reply

[–] AfroGeek 12 years ago

In this movie, definitely Pacino. He pulls off the old nobody mobster really well. Lots of little subtle things like the hunched over body language that I loved. This isn't some alpha male he's playing.

Amy: I swear to God...I swear to God! That is NOT how you treat your human!

reply

[–] SausagePourVous 12 years ago

Pacino up to this point,before the-"Am I yelling or just talking really loud??"routine got old. This is him in one of his best roles...and Madsen is still the one who stuck with me the most. Maybe cause so much else,basically everything he did sucked after this but he perfected his gangsterpersona here and he actually plays it pretty restrained,he was more comfortable in his role then Depp who with that look would´ve been scrutinized and sniffed out if he didn´t bash a few heads in very fast to show balls.

Pacino doing a bitter old,opposite Montana was pretty cool. Best acting,Madsens charisma made him most memorable.

reply

[–] kingkhan 12 years ago

Deep was good but Pacino is the man

he is the greatest

reply

[–] HomicideWireShield 12 years ago

Both were great but Pacino.

reply

[–] Sauvage_98 11 years ago

Depp all the way.

"The hardest thing in this world is to live in it."

reply

[–] 11 years ago

[deleted]

[–] 11 years ago

[deleted]

[–] jimmypage195 11 years ago

pacino brother...

reply

[–] tyrexden 11 years ago

This is one of the few films where Pacino plays against type.... Rather than some mob boss, he's an underling... a guy who you even sorta think is pathetic.

This is one of my most favorite performances from him, for that reason.... Depp was very good here, too.

reply

[–] runouteast 11 years ago

Both great. Pacino, IMHO, tends to play it a little over the top in his roles. Here, he projected the dual nature of the character. The street smarts without the chops to make it to the top. Violent, but also the sadness.

reply