O Pagamento Final

The tragedy of Al Pacino's character Carlo Brigante is that after his shortened stretch in the joint he realizes there is a life out there beyond his gangster world and the mean streets of East Harlem. But Pacino only finds that out way too late. And like that other iconic Pacino character Michael Corleone he gets sucked right back in. In retrospect Pacino should have had a ticket for Florida waiting for him the New York minute he got out of prison.

This would be a film totally dominated by Al Pacino had it not also been for the incredible performance of Sean Penn. If in fact Penn took the role only for the bread he certainly gave the movie-going public its money's worth when they paid to see Carlito's Way. I'm surprised that he was not given Oscar consideration.

When a lot of money comes to Pacino and I won't reveal how, he buys into a nightclub with the intention of earning just enough money to set himself up in business in Florida. But in his way Pacino is a man of honor. He does owe his lawyer Penn big time. Penn in fact found a loop hole as good lawyers do and got Pacino sprung from a long rap. So when Penn asks for a favor, Pacino has to oblige.

Penn is fascinated by the life the criminals he defends lead. The easy access to money and power and women have turned him into a pleasure maddened hedonist. Some other criminals he's been the attorney for Penn has not behaved honorably to put it mildly. He asks Pacino to help him cover up that fact though Pacino does not realize it at first. It's part of the undoing of both of them. The other part is the dismissive way he treats an up and coming gangster John Leguizamo. Think of Gregory Peck and how he treats Skip Homeier. in The Gunfighter.

Penelope Ann Miller is a young dancer who is fascinated by Carlo Brigante and is drawn to him. For the audience she embodies us and our fascination. For Pacino she represents the good life he aspires to.

In character development Carlo Brigante most resembles another of Pacino's iconic parts, that of Tony Montana. But classic film fans will recognize a strong resemblance to one of Humphrey Bogart's gangster roles in The Big Shot.

If it were not for what Sean Penn gives us in Carlito's Way this would be strictly a personal Pacino work. Their scenes together in Carlito's Way are unforgettable.

Al Pacino, Sean Penn, and Penelope Ann Miller create an artistic and romantic twist to the gangster genre in Carlito's way, story of a convicted gangster by the name of Carlito Brigante, known to his ex-lover as Charlie, who manages to get his way out of jail thanks to crooked drug-addicted lawyer David Kleinfield. After his release, he's convinced himself that he's never going back to his life of crime, but before he knows it, he's inevitably being pulled back thanks to his corrupt friends and family.

While Scareface centered around the action and grittiness of the gangster life more then anything else, Carlito's Way tends to lean to the romantic side, giving the film an artsy twist. For example, in one scene there is a close up shot of a revolver, the chamber slowly moving to an empty slot. There is another famous scene with Carlito inside of a dark bathroom, his back against a wall with a pistol in hand. The way the camera is placed, the way Carlito is standing, and the way the lighting reflects off of the wall and his leather jacket are all taken in to account by De Palma. To make a long story short, Carlito's Way is very beautiful, and this is all thanks to De Palma. He directs the movie very well, you can tell that he put some true dedication in to this film.

Needless to say, the acting is incredible, no matter what you might be hearing. Al Pacino is as always great, and Penelope Ann Miller is as well. But most of the time you'll find yourself deeper inside Sean Penn's character then Pacino's or anyone else's. He's steals nearly every scene he's in, if not then he steals all of them. He's almost too convincing.

The scores are very, very strong and add on to the artistic feel to the movie. Not only do they add on to that, but it adds to the tension, the romance, and the tears as well.

To sum it all up, Carlito's Way is the best gangster film ever made. I love it more and more every time I think about it.

*****/*****

Riveting.

Great movie..and I can see why it is underrated...possibly due to obvious comparisons to Scarface (Brian De Palma, Martin Bregman, Al Pacino team), which was much more brutal in its approach.

Al Pacino as Carlito, awesome as he is, is still much softer compared to the sledgehammer Tony Montana. And then there is some romance mixed in with the story of a gangster trying to reform himself.

I didn't like the romantic scenes myself...thought they interrupted the flow of the story...hence I gave it a 9 instead of a 10! There is also some clichéd dialogue. I happen to be a big Pacino fan and so I am being a little bit (though not entirely) biased and am sidelining all these things. If you excuse these small potatoes, this one is a great flick from start to finish, very entertaining, with some fantastic performances from the supporting cast, e.g. Sean Penn. Special mention, also, of Viggo Mortensen who comes in for a short role, but plays the part wonderfully.

As for Al Pacino in lead role, he makes sure he steals the show, as usual. Brilliant!

There was a time when I really wasn't into movies very much. I happened to be flipping channels on my TV one night when I came across "Carlito's Way". Immediately, I was drawn into the film. By the time the credits rolled by, I knew I had just witnessed the greatest film I had ever seen.

What makes "Carlito's Way" such a great film is the fact that even though you know what is going to happen at the end, the movie makes you want to know how this character, Carlito Brigante, ends up where he does. And what a ride it is.

Al Pacino is simply astonishing as Carlito Brigante, a reformed criminal who wants nothing more than to leave his old life behind and start anew. Sean Penn proves once again that he is one of the most effective actors working today in a role that not only sees him keeping pace with Pacino, but should have netted him a Best Supporting Actor Oscar. John Leguizamo and Viggo Mortensen also deliver solid performances.

"Carlito's Way" is filled with scene after incredible scene, and line after incredible line; all of which lead up to one of the greatest finales in motion picture history. If you haven't seen it yet, run out and rent it immediately. This is the film that turned me into a movie lover. Sure, I have seen better films since then (not many, mind you), but "Carlito's Way" will forever remain my all time favourite.

"Scarface" was a great operatic film rooted in Greek tragedy, primarily the downfall of its protagonist related to his own hubris and pride. Its over-the-top theatrics and scenery-chewing acting complemented the absurdist tone of the film; some carping critics complained it was "too violent," but it was silly violence...and it worked.

"Carlito's Way" is considered by many to be a companion piece of sorts to "Scarface" - but in its own ways it is vastly different. As "GoodFellas" differed a great deal from "Casino" in its narrative methods, "Carlito's Way" isn't as broad and theatrical as "Scarface." Of course, it's still a DePalma film, and that means we get some beautiful set pieces - but for the most part DePalma avoids his excessive visuals and instead opts for a balanced mixture of both storyline and directorial flair. It is not a sequel to "Scarface" - it is an expansion, and it seems entirely apt that its narrative is more mature, considering that Carlito Brigante (the main character) is wiser than Tony Montana from "Scarface." Carlito is a Puerto Rican ex-con who gets out of a thirty-year jail sentence based on a technicality after serving a mere five years of sentence. Faced with a new life and fresh horizons, he decides to heed the lessons he learned in jail and embark on a new and honest lifestyle.

"Scarface" was Greek tragedy insofar as Tony Montana was doomed to a downfall based on his own egotism and stubbornness. Like Oedipus in Sophocles' classic story, Montana was too bull-headed to take the advice of his wife and friends and was entirely responsible for his own emotional (and, in "Scarface's" case, physical) demise.

"Carlito's Way" is the flip side of the coin. It's still Greek tragedy, but it offers a new perspective. This time, the protagonist tries to change his fate, but his life is doomed to its inevitable conclusion. Carlito tries to change his ways, but - to paraphrase a character from another film - there is only one guarantee...Carlito Brigante will never see heaven. That's the fundamental truth of this movie, and DePalma's less showy camera-work, and the more mature characterizations by the actors, and the believable script, ensure that "Carlito's Way" is an entirely human experience - far more so than "Scarface." (Which is still a great film based on its own goals.)