Today’s quick review: Carlito’s Way. After five years in prison, Carlito Brigante (Al Pacino) is a changed man. Once a successful drug dealer, now all he wants to do is work an honest job managing a nightclub, rekindle his relationship with his girlfriend Gail (Penelope Ann Miller), and save up enough cash to move to the Bahamas. But trouble comes knocking when David Kleinfeld (Sean Penn), his lawyer and his best friend, calls in a dangerous favor.
Carlito’s Way is a crime drama from director Brian de Palma. Al Pacino stars as Carlito Brigante, a streetwise criminal who wants to get out of the game before it’s too late. The only things standing in his way are his old reputation, his loyalty to his criminal friends, and the cash he needs to make a clean start. Carlito’s Way uses its rich characters and tough dilemmas to put its own spin on the classic premise of an ex-con trying to make amends.
Carlito’s Way thrives on the tension between Carlito’s personal code and the self-serving behavior of the people around him. Carlito must walk a narrow line, balancing the debts he owes to his friends with his need to stay out of trouble and make a fresh start. Unlike other characters faced with similar situations, Carlito is genuinely a changed man. This gives the story a unique angle: Carlito must wrestle with loyalty rather than temptation.
Even so, the emotional beats of the movie are just a little off. Carlito’s Way tries too hard to make Carlito into a hero, pushing the audience towards a conclusion it should instead reach on its own. The story does a good job of showing Carlito’s character, but it spends a long time on subplots that never properly pay off. The movie also relies more on bad luck than bad choices to throw a wrench in Carlito’s honest, patient getaway plan.
Carlito’s Way provides yet another interesting variant on the crime genre, dramatically portraying the conflict between friendship and redemption for an ex-criminal. How effective it is will depend on your taste in storytelling, but the depth of Carlito’s character and the high quality of the film’s execution make it a worthwhile experiment for anyone interested. Steer clear if you’re looking for a crime movie that glamorizes life outside the law.
For a similar flavor of crime drama with the same director and lead actor, try Scarface. For another crime drama with similar character dynamics, try Mean Streets. For a less criminal but similarly dramatic movie about the perils of nightlife, try Saturday Night Fever.
7.9 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.0 to 7.5 for a sympathetic main character and a fascinating conflict.