5/5 Cruel honesty
  by Jacques COULARDEAU (OLLIERGUES France)
A gangster in New York gets thirty years in prison. But his lawyer manages to have that reduced to five years. He is truly trying to remain clean and to make some rather honest money in a club, though he gets the necessary investment from a bad deal that had cost the life of a few people. He was only an asset to a younger dealer, a recommendation, a referee if you want, aired and exhibited by the younger one. But that younger one was dealing with young gangsters and of course they tricked him into dying, losing his money and getting nothing, except that Carlito puts things right, to his own and sole benefit. But he has to deal with a vast Italian family in his club and outside. The main twist in the plot is that the lawyer who rescued him out of prison had been dealing with these gangsters, and this family in particular, even trapping one in prison after appropriating the million dollars this particular gangster had made in his business. But a lawyer will always be an amateur gangster and he drags Carlito into the last act of his own drama. That will cost their lives to the lawyer, Carlito and half a dozen members of the family in the brilliant setting of Grand Central Station. At the very moment when he could have walked out of this life of outcast crime, he is reminded that the leash that is attached around his neck will never disappear. This film has some depth somewhere about the great ease with which honest people can become dishonest, and at times with the idea that they are not dishonest since the people they steal or rob are thieves themselves. The code of the street is all powerful and definitely stronger than any law imaginable. The film is brilliant too as an action film, even, this time with suspense and great actors, Al Pacino being doubled up by Sean Penn. Brilliant rendering of the dilemma of a drug lord turned old and would-be honest.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne, University Paris 12 Créteil, CEGID


5/5 Restrained DePalma
  by One-Line Film Reviews (Easton, MD)
The Bottom Line:

Probably a better film that Scarface when you come right down to it (though certainly less iconic), Carlito's Way is an engaging drama about a criminal (Pacino in top form) trying to go straight that avoids the cliches you would expect, features a wonderfully scuzzy performance by Sean Penn as Pacino's lawyer, and has a couple of standout sequences (the pool hall scene is a truly great one); Carlito's Way is marred a little by its curious choice to show the ending first but it's really a fine film that's deserves a better reputation than it has.

3.5/4

3/5 OK, but there are better movies in the genre
  by Alan Starr (Lawrence, MA)
I never had gotten around to seeing this previously. In the end, I don't think I missed much. Pacino reprises his gangster role from Scarface and the Godfather movies; maybe not quite as over-the-top as Scarface, but a similar enough kind of story. Sean Penn plays his sleezebag friend, and I guess he did a good job, because I hated the guy!

5/5 Favor gonna kill you faster than a bullet.
  by M. S. Skidmore (Kinver, United Kingdom)
Director Brian DePalma returns with this 1993 adaptation of the novel 'After Hours' by judge and author Edwin Torres. Here DePalma alternates his filmic style more to the side of 'Mission Impossible' and 'The Untouchables' rather than his usual Hitchcock homages ala 'Body Double' and 'Blow Out' to deliver (for me anyway) his finest film.

The story has Al Pacino (never better) playing Puerto Rican ex-con Carlito Brigante trying desperately to go straight and make a new life for himself and his dancer girlfriend (played by the excellent Penelope Ann Miller). Obviously, it all takes a turn for the worse when Carlito's attorney friend (played by an unrecognisable Sean Penn) is destined to take not only himself, but Carlito down with him.

The film itself is beautifully acted, exceptionally well written (each character is well developed and fully rounded) and the direction by DePalma is his sharpest yet. His roaming camera and stylish lighting give the city scenes life and the bars and club that glitzy and low life appeal in equal measure. Al Pacino is perfect in the role and gives the film an exceptional emotional core - so to does Sean Penn, who is the epitome of sleaze and his look for the character is spot on. The romance between Pacino and Miller is well handled, not too slushy or slowing the story down - and like each plot point in the film, it is expertly handled and played out well.

All in all, one of DePalma's finest films and (for me) more satisfying than their previous collaboration 'Scarface' - although, that is excellent as well. Universals' disc has a sharp transfer and a short making of documentary, but the film itself is well worth the price of the disc alone. Recemmended.

4/5 Brian and Al in top form
  by A. Puig (Bronx, NY)
I've watched every movie Pacino has ever been in or acted in and I have to put "Carlito's way" at the top 10 of his movie list. In my opinion it surpasses even "Scarface" as far as the over all artistic quality of the film and acting. Sorry folks! I know a lot of you love Scarface, but if you watch a younger Pacino in "Panic in Needle park," or "Scarecrow" you will see a much more engaged and talented actor.
I liked Carlito's way because it showed Pacino's incredible character range in portraying a Nuyorican in the 70s era. Not only was he believable, but he did it with a beautiful flare. It had a perfect musical score and the cinematography was excellent. I couldn't ask for much more except I would've liked for the film to cover the book in it's entirety. Instead of just basing the film on the second half of the book, "After hours" they should have did "Carlito's way" and "After hours." That's my only complaint. So, in closing the movie wasn't perfect, but it definitely shows Pacino's talent as an actor.