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Carlito's Way

Carlito's Way

1993
Drama, Suspense/Thriller
2h 24m
A Puerto-Rican ex-con, just released from prison, pledges to stay away from drugs and violence despite the pressure around him and lead on to a better life outside of New York City.
Your probable score
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Carlito's Way

1993
Drama, Suspense/Thriller
2h 24m
Your probable score
Avg Percentile 66.1% from 4528 total ratings

Ratings & Reviews

(4528)
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Rated 17 Feb 2021
80
77th
The Scent of the Woman Pacino has almost taken over. There’s a universe out there where Sean Penn doesn’t do this movie and instead blesses us with his disgusting portrayal of Art Garfunkel and Madonna beats the shit out of him. The chase at the end is peak De Palma cinema dick waving
Rated 03 Mar 2018
9
90th
Unlike any De Palma I've seen in that it completely defies any form of categorisation. It also gave off all kinds of vibes, from Boogie Nights to Heat, and the climax sequence is about as good as anything De Palma has directed. A bona fide great film and the most fun I had watching one in a long time.
Rated 26 May 2007
90
99th
Pacino is the shit.
Rated 25 Oct 2007
80
77th
Excellent character study. Pacino plays the emotionally layered conflict in a very convincing way. The suspense is genuine and the visuals are kick-ass.
Rated 03 Dec 2007
87
81st
An excellent companion to De Palma's Scarface, showing a man sobered by a criminal life with a refreshingly subdued Pacino performance
Rated 12 Dec 2009
76
77th
It is hard to fault 'Carlito's Way'. There are lots of excellent performances, with the finest coming from Penn in my opinion, and De Palma's direction and cinematography is up there with the very best he has ever completed. This film is by far and away his best work for over the last 20 years or so. That said for me it never quite reaches greatness. It's good, very good. But great? Not quite.
Rated 18 Mar 2010
79
84th
Great performances, great cinematography and a thrilling climax make this De Palma's best and one of the better modern gangster films out there. I had some issues with some of the characterizations (ie every Italian character being a laughable shmuck) which prevents me from giving Carlito's Way an 80 or higher.
Rated 03 Aug 2019
4
55th
the writing's obviously goofy as hell but it's not like de palma gives a shit. better to focus on the colourful drugs 'n disco mid-'70s vibe, the set pieces (those final forty minutes are so breathless and liquid and elegantly choreographed that even the scenes which aren't one long take feel like one), a romantic rooftop scene straight out of a golden age musical, a shining-referencing rape-fantasy sex scene, sean penn killing it as a coked up smarmball.
Rated 28 Jan 2022
70
76th
I haven't watched enough Pacino to know where this ranks, but it's got a nice angle of an ex-con trying to go straight and contrasted that with Penn's lawyer gone bad who keeps dragging him back. In the end, all of their actions had consequences and it made for a tidy story. Fav scene: that final subway station cat and mouse and shootout.
Rated 16 Feb 2007
95
97th
Al Pacino, Sean Penn - beautiful
Rated 23 Feb 2007
78
83rd
Second Brian de Palma - Al Pacino cooperation with Sean Penn's great performance delivers a very good movie. Pacino is unique!!!
Rated 14 Mar 2007
93
92nd
If you want to watch a phenomenon and get high go watch Scarface, but if you want to see a truly moving picture this is it. "Favor can kill you faster than a bullet".
Rated 27 Mar 2007
95
85th
Another one of my favorites. Pacino is a great.
Rated 14 May 2007
82
67th
All around solid movie. The acting is good, the story is intriguing and the ending works well. Even so it never really does anything to really stand out beyond being very good.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
87
90th
Excellent film that I put off watching for too long. Once again showing us that Pacino is the ideal man for the mafia role. Penn is decent in this aswell. Its a bit of a heartbreaker compared to other mob related films with pacino in them.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
90
82nd
A great mob movie.
Rated 25 Jan 2008
85
97th
An old criminal steps into a world that used to be his, but now belongs to the young and amibitious, what he once were. There's also a love story.
Rated 22 Apr 2008
91
93rd
Easily DePalma's best work. Penn gets all the attention for his performance in this movie, but everyone's excellent, including people like John Leguizamo and Viggo Mortensen in smaller parts. Points added for this being such a fun crime movie and having such a classic soundtrack, more points deducted for the atrocious and cliched "nagging, indecisive girlfriend who complicates everything" subplot.
Rated 10 Jun 2008
75
71st
Brian de Palma dont surpass here his classic " Scarface ", but even so it is a good police movie. Al Pacino and Sean Penn do the difference.
Rated 14 Jul 2008
80
91st
This film is the realistic counterpart of Scarface, and much better in every aspect. "Make way for the good guy" would be a nice tagline for this one.
Rated 24 Jul 2008
94
85th
Very impressive, and completely unforgettable. Awesome acting from the entire cast, and Pacino's character is so incredibly deep and lavish. This is a quality crime movie, and you have to see it to believe it.
Rated 16 Aug 2008
9
93rd
Impressive movie with a great cast. My favorite De Palma movie as well. Love me some drugs, violence and gangs.
Rated 28 Oct 2008
86
91st
Nice cinematography, an excellent script, a fascinating character study very well played by Pacino, lovely music, and a really tense final part that keeps you on the tip of your seats. Great movie!
Rated 06 Nov 2008
88
92nd
ruffianly masterpiece :)
Rated 13 Nov 2008
99
99th
Best Pacino's role ever!
Rated 12 May 2009
76
57th
The plot is good, and Pacino's narration is excellent. I can't help but feel that the direction is clunky, and the film seems to move unnaturally most of the time. A lot of good names, most of them do well, but Pacino could never be mistaken as a Puerto Rican which takes away from this movie.
Rated 25 Sep 2009
88
64th
Often ignored crime classic from Brian De Palma who has rarely done such a balanced film. Story of an ex-criminal trying to go straight but fails in his attempt is well written and structured, with Al Pacino in his best as the main character. There are many memorable highlights and as a viewer you feel for the main character as in a good drama it should be. I think this is far better than Scarface which is cold and alienating compared to Carlito's Way.
Rated 01 Nov 2009
83
94th
Very well done. Great acting, great pacing. One of Sean Penn's best performances, and Al Pacino is also in top form. Finally I understand all the references to this movie in Grand Theft Auto. Need to play through it again now...
Rated 31 Jul 2010
53
53rd
Forget Tony Montana's little life lesson on how to get women - all you have to do is offer them cheesecake and then break their door down. Whether you actually have cheesecake or not is irrelevant.
Rated 20 Nov 2010
88
73rd
Carlito's Way is not exactly a "gangster film" - rather, it is a sympathetic character study of a gangster trying to go straight. This is one of Al Pacino's best roles, but Sean Penn (as a balding, curly haired, corrupt mob lawyer) steals the film with a sly and skillful performance. Brian de Palma is at the top of his game here. The fluidity of his camera work during the climactic chase sequence in Grand Central Station is just breathtaking, equal to the best of Hitchcock.
Rated 12 Jan 2012
50
43rd
Some impressive camerawork and tense moments in this tragic tale are undermined by poor dialogue and voiceover and an overly-familiar narrative. Final opinion probably depends on the weight given to each of these elements. Coincidentally saw this and GHOST DOG consecutively, a double feature of gangster's "ways", both films with ironic edges, seemingly as acknowledgment that the notion of the "spiritual path" is a somewhat tired idea with which to animate crime dramas. But for me, not enough.
Rated 29 Jan 2012
70
65th
This is an appropriate quality of film to be expected of Brian De Palma, the great drama director's kid brother.
Rated 19 Jun 2012
80
84th
Enjoyable crime melodrama. Comparisons to Scarface are inevitable, but this is an altogether more restrained effort with Pacino playing a more sympathetic character. The fact that we know the ending from the start gives the film a fatalistic quality that I liked. The chase sequence through the train station is outstanding and Penn gives a great supporting performance as the coked-up lawyer.
Rated 18 Nov 2012
90
97th
Great gangster flick and one of Pacino's best performances. Why this isn't more popular than 'Scarface' I'll never understand.
Rated 11 Nov 2016
70
50th
Well, like most "gangster" movies, CW relies heavily on well worn plot contrivences, daft decisions, misplaced loyalty, walking away from crime scenes and gun battles, and in truth, not a lot actually happens other than a boat ride up the East River (read: slow). If it were not for the great performances of Penn, Miller and Pacino, who are sometimes quite brilliant, making up for the dreadful Joseph Siravo who's acting consists of pointing and shouting "there he is!" this would be pretty dull.
Rated 06 Sep 2019
65
68th
good movie
Rated 14 Sep 2020
80
75th
Pacino gets a little "hooo hah" in his performance. Was Viggo Moretensen supposed to be Puerto Rican? De Palma's camera is always so full of life. He makes even the most typical scene interesting with his tricks.
Rated 08 Feb 2007
80
47th
If you're a Mob Movies kinda guy like me then this is a great movie for you! Al Pacino is amazing in it...You'll have plenty of twists and turns in this one.. Sean Penn also does a great job in his role... Overall this movie should be rated close to other greats like Goodfellas, Godfather, and Scarface.
Rated 14 Feb 2007
74
47th
predictable
Rated 04 Mar 2007
70
82nd
Great film.
Rated 21 Mar 2007
67
36th
Relatively impressive crime drama with good performances and good direction. It's just rather forgettable when you compare it to others of the same era.
Rated 05 Jul 2007
86
87th
I love the music also perfect script
Rated 14 Aug 2007
40
26th
This is another example of Brian de Palma hiding his terrible directing behind Al Pacino. Only this time, the sheer predictability and blandness of the story and characters wins over.
Rated 21 Aug 2007
85
80th
uuuuu no se por que me gusta esta pelicula pero cada que la ppasan no me la pierdo. carlito brigante trata de sa safarse de su antigua vida, pero esta lo persigue hasta que pasa lo ineviltable
Rated 16 Sep 2007
75
79th
Effective crime drama.
Rated 14 Oct 2007
75
38th
not really one of his best...
Rated 20 Dec 2007
92
79th
Much better watching it as an adult. I still hear, "Heeeyyyy...Carlito!" in my mind every night before I lay me down to sleep.
Rated 05 Jan 2008
64
33rd
Mediocre. Sean Penn manages to overact even Pacino.
Rated 24 Feb 2008
87
80th
Great movie and great Al Pacino. If you like gangster movie (not refering to Afro american gangs, bitches, gold and other shit, but real gangsters), this is movie for you.
Rated 26 Sep 2008
80
71st
Many many things from this film made it to the video game vice city, for example the lawyer :D
Rated 30 Dec 2008
80
62nd
Pacino, Penn, death.. gangsters that never let you go! Everyone has to see this at least once.
Rated 04 Jun 2009
60
61st
No big deal, just a little boat riiiiide.
Rated 11 Jun 2009
64
49th
so ? how many times i will watch this type of similar movies i don't know ..
Rated 05 Jul 2009
88
58th
pacino was great as usual "here come da pain!"
Rated 22 Jul 2009
75
79th
Pacino as Carlito, a man having a hard time, staying away from his past. Penn is also, as usual, mesmerizing.
Rated 28 Jul 2009
66
45th
An all right mob movie. Uneven direction and an awkward romance make the film difficult to love. Yet fantastic performances by Pacino and Penn make it good enough to endure.
Rated 01 Aug 2009
70
75th
This film could be a bit shorter, but the performances by most of the cast are good, especially Pacino of course.
Rated 11 Dec 2009
94
97th
De Palma does it again. Another well-crafted crime featuring an explosive but sensible Al Pacino as Carlito Brigante.
Rated 18 Dec 2009
82
84th
Nice cinematography, an excellent script, a fascinating character study very well played by Pacino, lovely music, and a really tense final part that keeps you on the tip of your seats. Great movie!
Rated 26 Jan 2010
86
71st
One of DePalma's best film. Not as heartless as his usual fare.
Rated 16 Apr 2010
83
79th
Interesting aspect that this movie addresses. I was reminded of movies like Scarface and The Godfather that have the topic of "retiring" as well, but this one shows really well how difficult and almost out of reach this goal is.
Rated 25 May 2010
81
75th
de Palma's least obtrusive directing and Pacino's most reserved acting result in one of the best crime films of the '90's. The story is cliche, sure, but honest. It also helps that the ending - from the chase to the inevitable - is truly gorgeous.
Rated 05 Jun 2010
100
87th
to paraphrase kael, it's easy to envision spielberg, scorsese, and coppola throwing their arms up in the air and retiring on the spot.
Rated 28 Jul 2010
77
49th
Archetypal Brian De Palma film in that it looks very cinematical and has several big set pieces and intricately orchestrated scenes set in big, flashy locations. But also like many of his films, the plot is fairly formulaic and predictable, and the characters not quite as deep as one might like. Pacino looks the part but the romance is not very credible. Solid film but never threatens to cover any new ground. Also, the voiceover here is one of the worst uses of the technique I can recall.
Rated 28 Oct 2010
80
61st
Sean Penn's hair
Rated 09 Dec 2010
70
54th
Some good gangster scenes, loved the first one with the cousin who gets set up. After that its all down hill, boring romance and only Pacinos and the lawyers acting saves it. Should never be named when naming all the best gangster movies.
Rated 14 Jan 2011
72
86th
Sean Penn is brilliant - he makes Pacino look like an amateur.
Rated 17 Mar 2012
68
55th
Sean Penn tho
Rated 08 Apr 2012
73
88th
De Palma makes another good, but not great Hispanic crime drama. This has a better supporting cast than Scarface, with Penn stealing the show.
Rated 30 Aug 2012
80
82nd
This is my favorite Brian de Palma movie where Al Pacino plays a hispanic gangster who becomes embroiled in a city's organized crime.
Rated 16 Jun 2013
70
67th
I was hoping for a quality consistent with Brian De Palma and Al Pacino's previous collaboration, Scarface, but it doesn't really reach those heights. Don't get me wrong, it's still good and leagues better than De Palma's The Untouchables. This film was just too cheesy and melodramatic for me sometimes. Particularly in the case of the music, certain parts of the story, and occasionally Pacino's voiceover. Pacino was fine, but Sean Penn was the standout here. The climax was pretty great.
Rated 26 Dec 2013
65
31st
A dumbed-down version of Scarface, with incredibly stupid relationships and characters, needless voice-over, and even more crane-movements. Luckily, there's still some enjoyment to be had on a comedic level, thanks to a lot of facepalma's.
Rated 31 Oct 2017
63
20th
I think its lavishness, although makes this quite watchable, also makes it inferior to the number of more ground-level French Connection-esque gangster crime films made throughout the '80s into the '90s. First of all, this is my least favourite Pacino performance -- it seems like he's trying, but it feels false and unreal. The love story and music are completely stock and waste too much time, with the music sometimes ruining otherwise intense scenes. Barely watchable, but not quite a failure.
Rated 08 Apr 2020
68
30th
Al Pacino's accent is the most entertaining part. The final sequence is perfection.
Rated 11 Sep 2022
92
93rd
This reflective pseudo-sequel to Scarface is arguably De Palma's finest. His technical sensibilities shine here (lighting, set design, camera movement) and as a gangster movie it stands out for trading the genre's alienating anti-hero for a reformed and humane anti-villain. Carlito Brigante is no Tony Montana. Love the ending, esp. the transition to the credits with the dancing silhouettes.
Rated 12 Dec 2006
90
72nd
This no scarface, but it is awesome nonetheless. Benny Blanco from the Bronx is classic and Brian De Palma is at his best here with the directing.
Rated 28 Jan 2007
99
98th
Estreava há 30 anos em New York. Amava esse filme nas diversas vezes que vi desde os anos 90, mas não lembrava que era essa obra-prima toda no mesmo nível de Blow Out, a gente não consegue tirar os olhos da tela. This is Cinema. Plus: Pacino sempre fez parte da santíssima trindade dos meus grandes crushs cinematográficos (junto ao Gabin e Harrisson Ford), mas algo me diz que tenho um apreço especial de quando ele está de barba, já que ele nunca esteve tão sexy quanto em Serpico e aqui. Blu-ray
Rated 26 Feb 2007
50
38th
Fairly suspenseful, well-made crime schmaltz.
Rated 27 Apr 2007
80
68th
Good crime thriller. Fine performances from Pacino and Penn
Rated 22 Aug 2007
60
55th
Good, An ex New York mobster tries to make a clean start but is thwarted by the very people he thinks are his friends.
Rated 18 Oct 2007
80
16th
An excellent film marred, ironically enough, casting Pacino in a role better suited for someone a little younger at the time. Had Pacino done this 10 years earlier, he probably would've gotten another oscar nod.
Rated 13 Nov 2007
50
28th
- worth experiencing
Rated 11 Feb 2008
78
44th
Carlitos way kinda blends in with a host of similar "gangster" films for me... but its in good company with Casino, Goodfellas, and such.
Rated 13 Mar 2008
79
59th
Pacino and Penn both do outstanding jobs. The movie is overshadowed by a handful of better crime dramas to come along around the same time, but it still holds up as a very solid film.
Rated 07 Apr 2008
40
5th
I watched half of this again last night. It's one of the stupidest things I've ever seen. Insulting.
Rated 01 Aug 2009
80
55th
Solid entry into the crime genre.
Rated 02 Nov 2009
80
35th
Great texture (acting, camera), predictable story.
Rated 04 Jan 2010
3
31st
It says something about a movie when narration is the best part.
Rated 07 Sep 2010
56
77th
#90s#, story, A Pacino.
Rated 20 Sep 2010
10
98th
this is still the movie of my dreams.
Rated 06 Nov 2010
40
97th
"As with so many De Palma films, Carlito's Way soon manifests as an essay on its own forms." - Zach Campbell
Rated 22 Nov 2010
85
43rd
One of the palma's best if only too similar to scarface. It's a great flick, great acting and directing. It's a very melancholic movie and the last time de palma put his heart in a film of his.
Rated 10 Dec 2010
75
61st
Tho slow paced at times, the acting by lead pacino and supporting penn well make up for it. That, and some nice cinematography and a decent script. Just dont look for much else tho, like, a gangster epic...this aint scarface...
Rated 08 Jan 2011
82
79th
Awsome performance from Pacino throughout
Rated 02 Mar 2011
83
59th
Not one of Pacino's best films, but that being said, Pacino, Penn, and the rest of the cast give a great performance. The camera work is wonderful, the score hits in all the right places, and the ending is perfect. I wish the ending wasn't revealed in the beginning, and some scenes could be a little cliche to the gangster genre. It's good, but not Scarface or Donnie Brasco good.
Rated 17 Apr 2011
85
83rd
I'm not a Brian De Palma fan as I find a lot of his work to feel quite amateurish. Carlito's Way does feel like it echo's Scarface quite a bit but it does have it's own distinct feel. Pacino delivers a superb performance, Viggo is superb in an earlier bit role and even John Leguizamo has a great role. Well worth a watch if you're in mob films.
Rated 01 Aug 2011
80
85th
Although unoriginal, "Carlito's Way" is nevertheless an engrossing, stylish and admittedly badass crime story. De Palma rips off Scorsese (and himself) relentlessly, but at least he does it well -this is one of his tightest and most restrained efforts, as he brings his trademark visual signature to upgrade the material. Pacino recycles the same character he always plays -and he is terrific at it. The conclusion itself is rather underwhelming but the preceding 30' are brilliantly suspenseful.
Rated 18 Oct 2011
4
70th
There's lots to like, and dislike, but on the whole, a very compelling film. There's this great sense of nervous energy from start to finish, as if things could explode any second, which helps to override the film's bigger flaws (such as the mounting contrivances towards the end). Pacino, Penn and Miller offer some strong performances - in fact, the romance between Pacino and Miller is possibly the film's strongest element. A nice counterpoint to Scarface/companion piece to King of New York.
Rated 30 Jan 2012
82
71st
82.000
Rated 31 Jan 2012
75
75th
The ending was intense and super exciting. Carlito is one cool sumbitch.

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