Carlito's Way

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2:46

Carlito's Way

R

1993

2h 24m

Crime

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

84%

Tomatometer

51 Reviews

91%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

A free man after years in prison, Carlito Brigante intends to give up his criminal ways, but it's not long before the ex-con is sucked back into the New York City underworld. Reconnecting with his dancer girlfriend, Gail, Carlito gets entangled in the shady dealings of his friend Dave Kleinfeld, who also serves as his lawyer. When Carlito and Kleinfeld run afoul of shifty gangster Benny Blanco, it sets them on a dangerous path.

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Critics Consensus

Carlito's Way reunites De Palma and Pacino for a more wistful take on the crime epic, delivering a stylish thriller with a beating heart beneath its pyrotechnic performances and set pieces.

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Chuck Bowen

Slant Magazine

09/26/2023

Dreams can die but nightmares can flourish, an understanding brought about by the disillusionment that every De Palma hero experiences.

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Michael Sragow

The New Yorker

03/23/2015

Penn, in curled hair and wire-rims, makes a brilliant, slippery high-end shyster; his modulated hysteria is amazing. So is Brian De Palma's direction.

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Zach Campbell

Slant Magazine

09/09/2006

4/4

As with so many De Palma films, Carlito's Way soon manifests as an essay on its own forms.

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Adrian Turner

Radio Times

Jul 2

4/5

The set pieces are among the most thrilling De Palma has ever filmed, while Pacino's restrained performance as the leather-clad, gently lisping Carlito allows plenty of scope for the supporting cast to chew the scenery.

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Don Shanahan

Film Obsessive

Jun 28

Carlito’s Way is a gripping tale of redemption, loyalty, and the struggle to break free from a life of crime.

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Kathy Fennessy

Video Librarian Magazine

10/18/2024

3.5/5

The film proved that the director hadn't lost his touch, despite controversy that he had cast an Italian-American--and not for the first time--as a Latino character. Unsteady accent aside, Pacino's heartfelt performance helped to win over many skeptics

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Eric C

@Tljpb 1d

I would of gave it 5 stars but their was too many corny bits I can’t ignore but otherwise a great film.

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Alec B

@Alec97 Jan 22

De Palma elevates the already good script to a Shakespearian tragedy. To reveal the ending up front and then make you completely forget about it until the movie comes back to that scene is a remarkable achievement.

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Joy B.

@9mr_0 Dec 21

تحفة فنية وقصة قوية و اداء قوي من ال باشينو اخراج وتصوير و موسيقى رائع رغم بعض الاخطاء بالتصوير و الكات

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Maksim S

@MaksimusMovies Dec 19

Carlito’s Way is a gangster epic driven first and foremost by performance. Al Pacino gives one of his most nuanced turns, balancing regret, hope, and inevitability, while Sean Penn’s electric supporting role adds volatility and moral decay in equal measure. Their performances anchor a film filled with violence, shifting loyalties, and complex storytelling, allowing the brilliant script to breathe beneath the genre trappings. De Palma’s direction gives the story operatic weight, but it’s the character work that makes the tragedy resonate. Stylish, tense, and emotionally grounded, Carlito’s Way stands as one of the most human and compelling crime films of its era.

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Chris R

@Creeves Dec 1

Dreams can die but nightmares can flourish, an understanding brought about by the disillusionment that every De Palma hero experiences.

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Gabriel M

@Anonymous12 Nov 28

honestly better than Scarface

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Brian De Palma

Director

Al Pacino

Carlito Brigante

Sean Penn

David Kleinfeld

Penelope Ann Miller

Gail

Luis Guzmán

Pachanga

John Leguizamo

Benny Blanco

Carlito's Way: Official Clip - Shooting Pool and Wiseguys

2:14

Carlito's Way: Official Clip - Shot in the Hospital

2:48

Carlito's Way: Official Clip - You Haven't Changed

2:40

Carlito's Way: Official Clip - Cheesecake

2:06

Carlito's Way: Official Clip - Getting Whacked

2:02

Carlito's Way: Official Clip - Benny Blanco

2:28

Carlito's Way: Official Clip - Wearing a Wire

2:50

Carlito's Way: Official Clip - Escalator Shootout

2:32

Carlito's Way: Official Clip - Killing the Mob Boss

2:34

Carlito's Way: Official Clip - Hunted by the Mob

2:49

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Carlito's Way: Trailer 1

2:46

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Synopsis

A free man after years in prison, Carlito Brigante intends to give up his criminal ways, but it's not long before the ex-con is sucked back into the New York City underworld. Reconnecting with his dancer girlfriend, Gail, Carlito gets entangled in the shady dealings of his friend Dave Kleinfeld, who also serves as his lawyer. When Carlito and Kleinfeld run afoul of shifty gangster Benny Blanco, it sets them on a dangerous path.

Director: Brian De Palma
Producer: Martin Bregman, Michael Scott Bregman, Willi Bär
Screenwriter: Edwin Torres, David Koepp
Distributor: Argentina Video Home, Universal Pictures
Production Co: Epic Productions, Universal Pictures
Rating: R
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 10, 1993, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 10, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $36.5M
Runtime: 2h 24m
Sound Mix: Surround, Stereo

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