Review of Carlito's Way (1993) by Janne N — 12 Aug 2010

If someone came to me after I saw "Scarface" and told me that one day I'll see a better De Palma/Pacino movie, I would have told him or her that he or she is crazy ! And I would have been so wrong .

.. "Carlito's Way" is that movie, the day was yesterday and I am still amazed by that magnificent piece of art ! This time Pacino portrays an ex-con fresh out of prison trying to turn the page of his past and start a new life.

But as the movie show's you can never escape your past. The thing is, thought, that in this movie you like that gangster because he really want's to change. So by the end you are caught up in an emotional web, begging for a happy end which you know you won't get.

The guy you don't like in this movie, and the character build's up that dislike as the movie plays, is David Kleinfield, brilliantly portrayed by the one and only Sean Penn, Carlito's lawyer friend who turns out to be the biggest prick of them all.

The support actors also deliver very good to excellent performances allowing these two to shine. Another thing that I really enjoyed was the music and the whole very well build 80's atmoshpere. The direction is masterful with Brian De Palma delivering one of his best action/thriller/gangster epic's in a way only he knows.

Every angle he chose's is the best for the take with the final product being a masterpiece ! All in all a magnificent gangster flick which you must not allow yourself to miss !