Carlito's Way (1993)
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The story
In 1975 New York City, career criminal Carlito Brigante is released from prison on a legal technicality. While he vows to go straight and retire in the Caribbean, his past refuses to let him go. After a botched drug deal involving his cousin leads to a violent confrontation, Carlito uses the remaining cash to invest in a nightclub. However, his attempt at a legitimate life is complicated by the demands of his shady lawyer, the presence of rival gangsters, and the difficulty of severing ties with the criminal underworld that once defined his existence.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
After being released from prison in 1975 New York, Carlito Brigante attempts to go straight but is pulled into a drug deal by his cousin Guajiro. After Guajiro is killed, Carlito uses the money to buy a stake in a nightclub. He faces off against a hot-headed gangster, Benny Blanco, and rekindles a romance with his former girlfriend, Gail. Meanwhile, his lawyer, Dave Kleinfeld, becomes involved in a high-stakes prison break for a Mafia boss, Tony T. After Kleinfeld's actions lead to a series of violent events, Carlito realizes he must flee. He eventually faces a final confrontation with the Italian gangsters led by Vinnie and is ultimately ambushed and fatally shot by Benny Blanco while trying to reach Gail. He dies while imagining a peaceful life in the Caribbean.
- First release year
- 1993
- Runtime (minutes)
- 144
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Brian De Palma
- Writers
- David Koepp · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Al Pacino · Carlito Brigante; Sean Penn · Dave Kleinfeld; Penelope Ann Miller · Gail; Luis Guzman · Pachanga; John Leguizamo · Benny Blanco; Viggo Mortensen · Lalin Miasso; Joseph Siravo · Vincent "Vinnie" Taglialucci; Adrian Pasdar · Frank "Frankie" Taglialucci
- Genres
- crime drama
- Themes
- the difficulty of escaping a criminal past; loyalty vs. survival
- Tone and mood
- noir; stylish
- Premise and plot tags
- crime; underworld; retribution
- Source material / true-story basis
- novels Carlito's Way (1975) and After Hours (1979) by Judge Edwin Torres
- Reception
- Initially received mixed reviews and lukewarm box office results, but has gained a strong cult following and is considered one of De Palma's most enduring films.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 84% · scale: percentage · review count: 51; Metacritic · score: 66 · scale: 100 · review count: 25
- Awards and nominations
- Golden Globe · performance · nomination; Golden Globe · performance · nomination
- Production trivia
- The film's title was chosen to avoid confusion with Martin Scorsese's 1985 film After Hours.; The film was the second collaboration between Brian De Palma and Al Pacino.; A prequel titled Carlito's Way: Rise to Power was released in 2005.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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