LogFAQs > #969042251

Vis
Watching this so soon after Untouchables, its very interesting to see the touchstones of Brian de Palma as a director. That whole ending sequence in the train station felt claustrophobic and terrifying, but you just had hope that Carlito was going to get away. I like the fact that the whole plot of the film revolved around a guy who is a FORMER criminal. He was a total badass that had everyone scared of him just by reputation, but he gets out of prison, and he has NO desire to go back to the criminal life. However, by a series of unfortunate events, he just keeps getting dragged back in, and hes REALLY good at crime, even inadvertently. He gets some crime money and uses it to invest in a club, which goes gangbusters, and his life is going great. He reunites with his ex; his club is going well; hes really turning his life around.

Meanwhile, his nerdy-ass lawyer starts thinking hes a big man, and starts trying to act tough and make power moves. And since said lawyer got Carlito out of prison, Carlito is indebted to him in a rule of the street kind of way. Carlito winds up witness to several murders that he wanted NO part of. He just wanted out of the game, but he got dragged in, and now he has the law after him (to rat on his lawyer friend, despite David screwing him over first), AND he has the mafia thinking that he was in on the murder of a mob boss and his son. Its a really interesting tragedy, because even when you try to get your life straightened out, theres just no undoing the damage your early reputation has on your endgame. But even more interesting is that its not even the mafia that gets him, but this punk asshole who thinks hes gonna be the next big thing. THAT is the ultimate capper on this storyline, and its a really solid and powerful ending.

ssbm
Rating: B

I'm actually surprised that this plot structure isn't copied in other movies. It's a winning one in my opinion. Carlito gets out of prison and attempts to leave the criminal lifestyle, only for the lifestyle to suck him back in. Carlito is one of the more likable protagonists! He even has a fairly wholesome romance, one of the few in the whole series. He's kind of a rogue-ish protagonist, sneaky and street-smart, but not overtly malicious. I was also pretty surprised by Sean Penn's Dave. I did not expect him to go full-on antagonist. It's really interesting, watching the intro scene again where Carlito monologues in court. You would think Carlito is just BSing, but no, he's completely honest. And Dave, who looks more reasonable, just ends up being completely unreasonable by the end.

I love the third act of this movie, where Carlito is being hunted down by the mob and he needs to escape to the train with Gail. I was surprised by how tense I felt watching Carlito hide in the shadows and crowds, as well as hiding in the escalator. It's enthralling and is a class example of showing that you don't need a fight to make things feel tense. Of course, it does become a fight, but it's pretty interesting camerawork since it all happens on an escalator.

Tangy
Dude I just love Al Pacino. This man has far more patience in this role than I could ever dream of having. Seriously he does everything in his power to stay calm and not resort to his old ways, but his dumbass friend just will not leave him freaking be. Like he just sat in prison for 5 years, give the man a break. I do like Sean Penn here though, I can always appreciate an actor that can play someone as punchable as Kleinfeld is. I think I also love the pacing here too. It does all these soft builds, where you see the tension rising, but Carlito always worms his way out of danger. By the time we reach the finale however, its non stop. And since we already know he dies, it turns into a question of when Carlitos luck will finally run out and tragically its right at the very end. Ya know Ive really been enjoying these de Palma films, I need to check out more of his work.

Karo
An ex-con trying to turn his life around gets inevitably drawn back into the criminal underworld thinks to his shitty friends.
I really felt for the character and his struggles to escape his old life, as well as the act of mercy that eventually leads his downfall. He is a tragic figure and it is done very well.
I refuse to accept that Kleinfeld could survive for ten minutes in the company he keeps let alone successfully murder a mafia kingpin, but other than that the story is very believable and sheds light on the struggles many real world convicts face after release.

John
It's easy to compare Carlito's Way to Scarface for a number of reason. Same director, similarly long length, similar setting, same Al Pacino playing a hispanic man despite him being Italian. But what's different here, and part of what makes Carlito's Way work for me more than either of the Scarface's is the juxaposition between Pacino and Penn. Where's Tony Montana was, ultimately, a despicable figure who caused his own undoing, Carlito is someone who legitimately seems to want to change for the better. Does he deserve to make that change? Is what he does with his newfound freedom enough to make him a sympathetic figure? That balance is what makes Carlito's Way great; there's arguments to be made both ways. Meanwhile, Sean Penn's Kleinfeld is a character who begins simply dipping his toe in the mob lifestyle, and before long he's diving headfirst and trying to bring down everyone around him, Carlito included. Carlito both owes Kleinfeld for his freedom and is ultimately the person continuing to shackle him into the life that got him imprisoned in the first place. It's a compelling dynamic the whole way through

Snake
Yeah, its pretty good!

Myth
Takes a bit too long to really get going and the dialogue isnt all that great, but Pacino is compelling as a criminal trying to go straight after being released from prison, and being dragged back into trouble by his slimy lawyer friend. The final chase at the subway station more than makes up for the slow first two thirds.

Poke
I wish they didn't sort of give away the ending at the beginning. I felt like it would have served the film better, because I was invested in the chase at the end, but I knew something was going to happen eventually. But other than that, it was a fine film.