Rating: 
Summary: You think this is big time!?
Review: Al Pacino is Carlito Brigante, a small-time hood whose brush with gangster-greatness earned him a 15 year upstate stint. The film tells the story of his last chance to go straight, now that his coke-addicted ace of a lawyer (Sean Penn doing a deliciously evil Dirshowitz parody) has has sprung him out. Released after 5 years on a technicality, Carlito feels redeemed - rehabilitated, reassimilated and soon, gonna be relocated, he tells the judge who must now release him. Though out in a fraction of the time he faced, Carlito was scarred enough by his experiences that he must now go straight. He takes over a tony Spanish Harlem nightclub, setting himself on becoming an honest businessman. He even courts the girl he left behind - played by Penelope Ann Miller. Unfortunately, though his heart is in the right place, or because of that, Carlito is doomed to fail. Carlito is only one of many vile characters that Penn's character represents, but he feels honor bound to the lawyer for springing him. When one of Penn's more powerful clients - a mob boss waiting trial on Rikers - blackmails Penn into helping him escape, Carlito's debt drags him along. De Palma even throws in John Leguizamo as another small-time hood, meant to symbolize a younger Carlito perhaps, as a threat to Carlito's freedom and his life. As the forces surrounding and constricting Carlito's life intensify, he is struck between an unlikely chance at a lawful life, and a return to the old evil ways of "The Last of the Mo-Ricans". Just as the story looks to bring Carlito's decision to a head, Carlito finds himself the target of Penn's mob associates, and "Carlito's Way" degenerates into a high-powered cat-and-mouse-with-guns story that riffs on the famous stairway scene in "The Untouchables".This is a lot of fun, though it's just one more flick that leans on Pacino's gift of gab instead of rewarding it. Penelope Ann Miller seems an odd choice for a love interest - she's the voice of his conscience, but when your own voice sounds like Al Pacino, anything else pales in comparison. Sean Penn's character is great, but in the end, his wicked ways degenerate into a typical drug-induced haze. John Leguizamo's character is so one-noted, that you wonder why he's even there at all (though you won't have to wonder long, and you can tell just when and where he'll reappear). Still, it's a ride, and whenever you need an excuse to catch some Pacino, "Carlito" provides a fun way.
Rating: 
Summary: Pacino's best performance
Review: This movie centres around Carlito Brigante, an ex-con who wants out of the cycle of crime he's been in all of his life. Everyone around him laughs at his dream of being part of a car dealership in the Bahamas with his ex-con friend, but he's determined to earn enough money to buy into this business by saving the profits over time from the night club that he is running. However, he can't seem to get away from the criminals that he used to be involved in, and the new crop of junior criminals who view him as a legend. The worst of these criminals is his own lawyer, played by Sean Penn, who has no idea how things work in the street and yet keeps on pushing the envelope to get what he wants from the various hoodlums. Pacino and Penn both play their roles brilliantly and the cinematography is equally deserving of praise and notice. Go rent it! It's a classic.
Rating: 
Summary: Luis Guzman is in this film!
Review: My only reason for seeing this film is because Luis Guzman is in it. I prefer the murder mysteries of Brian De Palma, but this movie is just a somewhat organized crime drama. Not a good film. Enjoyed seeing Penelope Ann Miller act again. DVD includes production notes, cast and filmmakers and theatrical trailer. Shown in squeezy widescreen.
Rating:
Summary: Just An Incredible Movie
Review: Al Pacino plays Carlito Brigante in this movie that is part action, part crime, part drama. He's a Puerto Rican New Yorker and an ex-drug dealer who was big on the street before he got sent to jail for 30 years. However, he gets out after only five years due to a technicality and the help of his lawyer, named Kleinfeld. Sean Penn plays Kleinfeld, sporting a curly balding wig which at first looks a little ridiculous, but it suits the character somehow. In prison, Carlito had a chance to do some thinking, and now he decides he wants to go straight. A friend has offered him a share in a car rental business in the Bahamas if he can come up with his share of the investment. To earn the money for it, Carlito takes a job at a nightclub, where he's exposed to criminals who view him as a legend and who try to entice him to join with their group of hoodlums. The movie is narrated by Carlito himself, who explains how he got to where he is, what's going on that we don't see, and we hear his regrets and hopes. Carlito's journey to go straight shows how difficult it is to escape your past and how deeply our past and our identity are intertwined. The acting is unbelievable in this movie, and the collection of actors turning out the best performances of their careers will astound you. The cinematography is equally astounding. I highly recommend this film. If you rent it, it's likely that you'll buy it in the next couple of months, because as soon as you finish the movie, you'll know that you want to see it again.
Rating: 
Summary: Al Pacino in his standard, but excellent, role
Review: Summary:
Carlito Brigante (Al Pacino) is an ex-drug lord that has recently been released early from a 30-year sentence because his lawyer, Kleinfeld (Sean Penn), found a loophole. Now that he's out and aging he has decided to retire from the criminal world and become a legitimate business man, pursuing a dream to escape New York and move to the Caribbean where a role in a business venture awaits him. However, Carlito's past hasn't given him permission to let it go. He has to many friends, pseudo-friends, and enemies to get away that easily. But ironically it is his friendship with the man that freed him, Kleinfeld, that ends up causing him the most trouble; Kleinfeld is a thieving cocaine addict who has betrayed too many people. Not knowing the best way to get himself out of the trouble, he enlists Carlito to help him, who does against the advice of his renewed love interest, Gail (Penelope Ann Miller), who was going to escape to the Caribbean with him. Kleinfeld screws things up and now he and Carlito are wanted men. Kleinfeld doesn't really have a chance, but Carlito does. But there are a lot of people that don't want him to leave town and are willing to risk quite a bit to prevent it. My Comments:
Somewhat following the Godfather tradition, Al Pacino delivers a great performance in this film. But the even better performer is Sean Penn. Penn is, as always, a very convincing dopehead. He is a great character actor, especially when the character is a druggy. Also good is John Leguizamo whose role as Benny Blanco turns out to be of primary importance. The story is convincing, well-written, and makes logical sense. You find yourself continually rooting for Carlito to truly pursue his dream and get out of Dodge, but it is repeatedly delayed and as the movie continues you begin to realize that Carlito's chances of leaving for the Caribbean are dwindling. Apparently connections to the underworld of crime are difficult to kill, which is good reason not to get involved in the first place, but the movie begins with Carlito having already been involved so now he just has to try to escape. Overall, the movie is entertaining. There is a bit of nudity, limited to women's breasts and semi-discrete sex scenes, so if that is a concern you may want to skip it. Perhaps the producer and casting agent did so intentionally to build off his Godfather fame, but Al Pacino is great in this role, not surprisingly, and if you are a fan of Al Pacino or gangster movies this is definitely one to see.
Rating:
Summary: Fantstic movie
Review: Carlito's Way stands as a fine testament to brilliant filmmaking. Beginning with the opening credits, De Palma takes the viewer through a black and white color framed death.We know that Carlito Brigante will face a trajic death and yet the viewer will keep his or her eyes glued to the screen as this story develops. Suddenly, the color changes and we are swept away to a 1970's new york city courtroom where Brigante is released from prison thanks to the skills of his diabolical lawyer(Kleinfeld) played by Sean Penn. The premise of Carlito's Way is that a reformed criminial can never survive because of past history. Throughout the movie, Carlito plays his antagonists like a russian chess player. However, Carlito's inability to return to the ethos of the criminial code of conduct eventually seals his fate.
This DVD is fantastic!! Carlito's Way is brilliantly filmed. You definitely feel like you are walking through the streets and Dance clubs of 1970's New York. De Palma provides a fantastic 70's texture to this film. Since I have a stereo system attached to my DVD player, I was amazed at the sound quality when Carlito entered various dance and strip clubs. In fact one of the hidden gems of this movie is the disco soundtrack which underlays this story. In addition to the unique sensory experience, this movie explores the mind of the big time criminial. The viewer witnesses a large amount of calculation and negotiation that Carlito must undergo in order to stay alive and pursue his plan of leaving New York. If I have not mentioned Carlito is surrounded by colorful characters like Kleinfeld(Sean Penn) and Pachanga. In my opinion, the character of Pachanga is fantastically put into the film. Pachanga symbolizes "the old school Puerto Rican gangster" that Carlito must come to terms with. Though De palma might not have intended to do it I found myself laughing at pachanga's quirks and gestures. Overall, I give this DVD 5 stars and would recommend this movie to anybody I know!!
Rating:
Summary: Never seen this movie coming!
Review: I did not hear of this movie at all until it was displayed behind one of the cashier' display cases where they keep some stuff to show and I took immediate interest. It's a good movie but when I read the back and heard of the so called "sequel to scarface" quote on the back since the same director did the same movie I was excited to put this on. It's not the second scarface and frankly if you seen scarface...there will never be another scarface. I did take the quote lightly but this movie was about a man getting away from the life of intimadation, violence, and all the other stuff by getting caught with his past. It's still worth the watch if you were a fan of Scarface or a Pacino fan like me!
Rating:
Summary: Descent movie, not a must see.
Review: I found this movie to be dull during parts. I love Pacino, and I'm a Puerto Rican, but this movie really didn't do much for me. I loved the character "pachanga" and the hyperactive, coked up Sean penn was excellent in this film. But Pacino, was very low key. (except for the infamous "here comes the pain") And Penelope Ann Miller was EXTREMELY dull, she brought the movie down. The ending is not a cliched at least. And Pacinos slow, droning voice in the narration is excellent.
Rating:
Summary: NICELY DONE
Review: This is a very great film by director of Scarface, Brian DePalma, with the two great actors al pacino and sean penn. Great action movie.....great for al pacino fans....this was really great.....made it in my dvd collection......and only the great movies go in my collection. THis movie portrays Carlito Brigante...and infamous druglord....trying to leave his past behind....great....SCARFACE fans will LOVE THIS MOVIE
Rating:
Summary: Have Your Cheesecake and Eat It, Too
Review: There are not very many movies I can say that I have seen over and over, but Carlito's Way happens to be one of those theatrical releases. Well-sequenced plots, fine acting, and fantastic music from the 1970's make this a total package. Though I would not quite put it on par with Scent of a Woman, Pacino's other masterpiece performance from the following year, I nonetheless find it a more all-around, entertaining movie. Just as the chemistry between a significantly older man and a significantly younger woman created by Jack Nicholson and Michelle Pfeiffer was successfully played out in Wolf, the dialogue and intensity between Al Pacino and Penelope Ann Miller were on the same parallel and quite mesmerizing. I especially loved the "I brought you some cheesecake" scene. Those who have seen this movie know what I am talking about. And if I had to rank all the women who looked great in any particular motion picture, I would put Penelope Ann Miller's portrayal of Gail in the top five. Along with the eye candy, there is plenty of delight for the ears, as well. Never before was You Are So Beautiful as sung by Joe Cocker ever placed in scenes that could be so passionate and yet so poignant. For those who might have reservations about some of the adult scenes, Carlito's Way is not exactly your family entertainment kind of picture. But it is a great movie, nonetheless.
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