← Back to results
Carlito's Way
1993 144 min United States of America R 18+
★7.8
Crime, Drama, Thriller
Director: Brian De Palma
🎭 Based on
«After Hours»
byEdwin Torres
Trailers
EN
Teaser
EN
EN
EN
EN
EN
EN
Description
Free 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.
Budget:
$30M
US Gross:
$36.95M
Worldwide:
$63.85M
Starring
Al Pacino
Actor
Sean Penn
Actor
Penelope Ann Miller
Actor
Awards
Golden Globe 1994
— Best Supporting Actress
Golden Globe 1994
— Best Supporting Actor
Key opinion
Carlito's Way is widely regarded as a masterful gangster epic, celebrated for the compelling chemistry between Al Pacino and Sean Penn and Brian De Palma's signature technical precision. While a few critics find the narrative derivative of other crime classics, most audiences and reviewers praise its emotional depth, iconic suspense sequences, and tragic character arc.
| Acting | Al Pacino delivers a weary, nuanced performance that effectively distinguishes his character from past gangster roles. | |
| Acting | Sean Penn provides a virtuosic and memorable performance as the increasingly unhinged and greedy attorney Dave Kleinfeld. | |
| Direction | Brian De Palma employs sophisticated technical mastery, particularly through inventive cinematography and tension-filled long takes during chase sequences. | |
| Emotion | The film is a successful emotional tragedy, effectively depicting the inevitable and heartbreaking failure of a man attempting to escape his violent past. | |
| Originality | Opinions on originality are split, with some viewing the film as an essential, unique entry in the genre while others characterize it as a derivative pastiche of previous crime epics. | |
| Theme | The romantic subplot is viewed inconsistently: some find it a necessary, compelling layer of the character's motivation, while others dismiss it as a formulaic or overly sentimental addition. |