Carlito's WayThere are few high pitched dramatic and action sequences that antes up the game while the rest of it is just a repetitive slog that is pulled by nothing but only performance. David Koepp's adaptation is not only witty but gripping too that helps keep the audience engaged through out the course of it even though the outcome is quite predictable. Brian De Palma as always is no short on execution but the editing which could have been a lot better and shorter too. Al Pacino handles the "performance" account and unlike other features of his, he is supported too by an amazing cast like Sean Penn, Penelope Wanna Miller and Luis Guzman. Carlito's Way has an interesting perspective for a "gangster" tale but unfortunately is taken with the same approach and walks on the same line despite of containing a wider range.

Any movie about an ex-con who tries to go straight but comes up against all sorts of obstacles, really has to be good to overcome the natural scepticism of audiences who will justifiably feel that they've seen it all before. Fortunately, there's enough about "Carlito's Way" that's original, interesting and enjoyable to prevent it from being seen as too hackneyed, too predictable or too run-of-the-mill and a great deal of the credit for this must be down to the fact that it's based on two books called "Carlito's Way" and "After Hours" which were both written by Judge Edwin Torres who, no doubt, drew extensively on his experience as a New York State supreme court judge to inject his story with its impressively high level of authenticity.In a New York City courtroom in 1975, Carlito Brigante (Al Pacino), a Puerto Rican drug dealer and alleged assassin, becomes a free man again after having served only 5 years of his 30-year prison sentence. The legal loophole that was exploited to secure his release was spotted by his shady lawyer and best friend David Kleinfeld (Sean Penn). Now feeling older and wiser after having had plenty of time to reflect on his life, Carlito announces to the court that he has been totally rehabilitated and is determined to leave his old criminal life behind and finally go straight.Carlito makes his first mistake when he returns to his old neighbourhood and is persuaded by his young cousin Guajiro (John Ortiz) to accompany him on a routine delivery of some drugs to a local dealer. Their meeting descends into chaos when Guajiro is double-crossed and murdered and after the ensuing shoot-out, Carlito finds himself back on the street but $30,000 richer, after having pocketed some money which had been left unattended after all the shooting had stopped.Carlito promptly uses his newly acquired windfall to buy a partnership in a nightclub with the intention of earning the $75,000 he'd need to fulfil his long-held ambition of taking up an offer he'd had from an old friend to buy a share in his car rental business in the Bahamas. Soon, he starts to make good progress in achieving his goal and things then get even better when he meets up with his ex-girlfriend Gail (Penelope Ann Miller) and they rekindle the relationship which they'd been forced to end when Carlito was imprisoned.An unwelcome development then follows when Kleinfeld is cornered into assisting an Italian mob boss to escape from the Riker's Island prison barge where he's been incarcerated and Carlito feels that he can't refuse when his friend asks for his help. When the escape plan is put into action, the seriously unstable and coked-up Kleinfeld kills both the mob boss and his son and this leads Carlito to decide that if he's ever going to fulfil his dream of going to the Bahamas with Gail and their unborn child, he'll need to do so rapidly because the mob boss' son and his men will inevitably be coming after him with revenge on their minds.Told in flashback with Carlito providing the narration, this gangster movie is consistently tense, violent and very fatalistic but it's also surprisingly romantic. The relationship between Carlito and Gail is beautifully portrayed throughout and a hug that they share soon after reconciling provides an especially warm and powerful expression of their feelings for each other. Similarly, there's another particularly romantic moment at the end of the movie when Carlito, accompanied by the sound of Joe Cocker's "You Are So Beautiful", stares wistfully at an illuminated advertisement which features a picture of a Caribbean Island and the slogan "Escape to Paradise".Brian De Palma's use of slow motion, black and white and revolving camera-work at various points is both stylish and effective and the extended chase sequence that brings the movie to its climax is brilliantly executed. Commendably, there's also a consistent vibrancy that runs through the whole movie that makes its duration seem significantly shorter than its actual 144 minutes.Al Pacino is marvellous as the ageing gangster whose downfall is ironically sealed by two of his more noble actions when he, through loyalty, agrees to help Kleinfeld and also unwisely shows mercy to another character who doesn't deserve it. Sean Penn is terrific as the corrupt, duplicitous and cocaine-fuelled lawyer who long ago lost sight of the line between what's legal and what isn't and the remaining cast members are also excellent with stand out contributions from Penelope Ann Miller, Luis Guzman and John Leguizamo (as the unforgettable "Benny Blanco from the Bronx").

Carlitos way is about inner city people trying to make it in a cruel a ruthless competition for money and power. Following both a street thug and a morally bankrupt star lawyer the movie portrays human beings from different social classes each trying their best to make against the backdrop of the coke and crime ridden urban environment of the 70's USA. Al Pacino gives Carlitos warmth. He stands out as a sympathetic guy trapped in a game of honor codes and eye-for-eye mentality, while Sean Penn shines as a the highly educated and cynical chess player, while also coming off as being ridiculous and pathetic. Sean Penns dance moves are hilarious. This movie is remembered for the tension between the sympathetic yet slightly grotesque portrayal of 70/80 coke parties and crime fests, like movies from Scorcese. Everyone seems locked in to their destiny and despite trying to skew it ends up on their chosen path. Just like the movies title alludes to.Like Scarface the movie features some of the best and most ridiculous cocaine party scenes, complete with old business men dancing and prancing with sweaty foreheads and near heart attack looking moves.

Where Scarface was about a South American battling his way to the top of the crime world, Carlito's Way is about a South American gangster trying to leave his past behind him. The story is very good and believable, the problems for Carlito (Al Pacino) are very typical for someone in his position and the relationships are all very convincing. The fact that Edwin Torres based his characters on real people and that events in the film are inspired by real life, really help Carlito's Way to be a credible film. The fact that it is Carlito's lawyer, Kleinfeld (Sean Penn), who got him out of prison and then becomes a loose cannon who provides Carlito with too many problems is a great illustration of respect and excess going to someone's head.The performances in this film are extremely strong. Al Pacino is one of the best actors ever to be witnessed and is on outstanding form here. The beard, shades and long coat are a very good look for him and definitely provide him with one of his most fashionable roles to date. What is most convincing in this performance is his charm towards Gail (Penelope Ann Miller) as the audience, along with Gail, fall for him instantly, despite knowing his past. His scenes with Sean Penn are also amongst the films strong points because it always good to see Pacino act angry. The dialogue between these two is exceptional and really highlights how strongly Carlito's Way is written. Sean Penn does not let Pacino outclass him and gives one of his strongest performances. As an arrogant coke head, Penn portrays a character who is really repulsive and dislikeable and incites a great sense of hatred from the audience. Penelope Ann Miller does well to give the film feeling and bring it down to earth. It is pleasurable to watch her inner conflicts regarding Carlito as she pulls off the emotional scenes very professionally and is very effective at drawing out an emotional response from the audience. Luis Guzman and John Leguizamo are the two most memorable characters from the supporting cast, they both fit specific niches very well and both give great performances. It was nice to see Adrian Pasdar in the film, shame he wasn't in it for longer as the writers could have made something more out of his character.My only negative criticism of the film is that it could have done with a touch more action. Gangster films are at their most exciting when there is a high drama shootout but Carlio's Way only has two major action scenes. Luckily, the content is good enough to make up for this. The two shootouts are very good scenes, especially the last one as the tension build up is so intense.Stylish, realistic and stimulating, Carlito's Way would be a classic gangster film, had it not been overshadowed and over compared to Scarface. All the ingredients are right to serve up a fantastic film.