As Donnie is taken under Lefty's wing and brought up through the ranks of the mob, Lefty continually comments on how he'd die for Donnie. Simultaneously, Donnie begins to feel alienated from his normal life and increasingly frustrated with the government he swore an oath to, which leads the viewer to question whether or not Donnie is actually going to go through with ratting out Lefty and his associates. It's a heart-breaking betrayal, made all the more crushing thanks to the excellent performances given by Depp and Pacino.