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Carlito's Way (1993)
Rate:
9
Viewed:
3/08, 6/17, 7/20
3/08:
Directed by Brian De Palma, Carlito's Way is the tamed version of
Scarface which also starred Al Pacino.
The story, that's penned by a New York State Supreme Court justice, is interesting and gets better by
the minute. Al Pacino, who's finally calm and never screaming, and Sean Penn are mesmerizing. There's a nice
lineup of strong supporting performances that help it to be an effective gangster drama.
The ending takes place at the train station. Although I've seen this already in
The Untouchables,
the execution is crisp and well-done. But the introduction is unnecessary as it gives away the ending.
All in all, Carlito's Way isn't exactly Goodfellas, but Al Pacino
makes this one worth it.
6/17:
What sets Brian De Palma apart from nearly all directors is his alluring visionary style which is unlike
anything I've seen.
The Odessa Steps scene in The Untouchables is a good example.
Another is the opening sequence in Snake Eyes. If you can't get enough, then I recommend
Carlito's Way that's maybe the apogee of Brian De Palma's artistic vision. Yes, it seems to be another
Scarface, but this one is much more refined and mature.
If it was directed by anybody else, the story of Carlito Brigante would've been ordinary, lacking any tension.
Where Brian De Palma succeeds the most in is taking advantage of editing as the fourth dimension to transform the
film into a work of art. The last twenty minutes is a perfect example of what I mean.
Fresh off the mostly undeserving Oscar win for Scent of a Woman,
Al Pacino may have turned in the best performance of the decade as Carlito Brigante, an extremely likable
Puerto Rican ex-gangster who's set in reforming his ways but can't turn his back on code of honor. It's why
the following line by Michael Corleone in The Godfather Part III
is perfect: "Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in."
Based on New York State Supreme Court justice Edwin Torres' book After Hours, David Koepp's script is
well-written and full of subtleties about the street life in El Barrio. If you pay attention to what Carlito
sees, you can predict what he's thinking and planning to do. Hence, Carlito's Way is an intelligently
crafted picture.
Brian De Palma's gift lies in scene construction that's like nothing I've seen before: a careful set-up of the
players as they take their time, giving me an ominous feeling that something big will go down. It's what he did
early on when Carlito was at the club, thinking of all the angles, which led to the long chase that ended at
the train station. Even better is the chilling ending as Benny Blanco from the Bronx is running alongside
Carlito, who's happily waving at his girlfriend, and turning around to shoot him to death. A neat thing about it,
which comes in full circle, is that I forgot about the beginning of the film. It's because the story is absorbing.
Anyway, the performances are outstanding. I may have been harsh on Sean Penn and John Leguizamo in
the past, but they're brilliant. Most importantly, Al Pacino is in top form.
All in all, there are so many things to like about Carlito's Way that it's easy to revisit the film
from time to time.
7/20:
There are three films that rank high in Brian De Palma's oeuvre:
The Untouchables,
Mission: Impossible, and Carlito's Way.
What they all have in common is exquisite photography, strong acting, and a climax that's either on the train or
at the train station. Despite the film running too long, the last twenty-minute crescendo leading to the surprise
death of Brigante Carlito is riveting. I can't recall Al Pacino giving a bad performance; he's always mesmerizing
in every film, playing a different character each time with nothing but straight acting. It's been the case here.
I usually think of Sean Penn as a fake actor, but he can be good in some films. In Carlito's Way, Sean
Penn gives the performance of his career by being something else as a crooked lawyer with no principles. His
hair is a nice touch. John Leguizamo is perfect as Benny Blanco from the Bronx, and Penelope Ann Miller doesn't
get enough credit for helping make the story work. Ironically, Al Pacino said in
The Godfather Part III, "Just when I thought I was
out, they pull me back in." It's exactly what the movie is all about. Unfortunately, the biggest mistake is
spoiling the ending during the opening credits.
All in all, Carlito's Way is a well-crafted, entrancing neo-noir with Al Pacino and Sean Penn
at their best.