Brian De Palma’s 1993 neo-noir Carlito’s Way is one of the great crime films. If you like The Godfather, you’ll like the similarly operatic Carlito’s Way. Al Pacino is brilliant, and we so sympathize with this anti-hero that we’re hoping he will avoid the heartbreakingly noir ending.
Pacino stars as Carlito Brigante, a successful Puerto Rican drug dealer just released back to New York City from prison. He’s looking to invest in a nightclub and develop a legitimate nest egg so he can retire to the tropics with his girlfriend. But the crime world he comes from isn’t going to make that easy. This isn’t the bombastic Pacino – his Carlito is ever-watchful and shrewd, like his Michael Corleone in The Godfather films.
Carlito’s Way’s high points are three unforgettable set pieces: a drug deal rendezvous where Carlito senses something is amiss, a nightclub confrontation with an aspiring gangster, and an extraordinary chase scene through Grand Central Station. In the chase, Carlito must escape two skilled and determined Mafia hit men, one of whom is profoundly obese.
Carlito’s Way features top rate supporting performances from Luis Guzman, Sean Penn, Penelope Ann Miller and Viggo Mortensen, along with John Leguizamo’s breakthrough. Penn’s coke-fueled shady lawyer is the juiciest role, but don’t overlook Jorge Porcel as Sasso; this Argentine comic actor was near the end of his 54-movie and 32 -television series career, and he is perfect as Sasso.
The two hours and 24 minutes never drags. Carlito’s Way plays frequently on premium television channels and is available on DVD and Blue-Ray from Netflix. Carlito’s Way can also be streamed from Amazon, AppleTV, Vudu and YouTube.