CARLITO'S WAY (includes trailer)
June 1st 2010 12:08
Carlito's Way - A film by Brian DePalma
Carlito’s Way is one of the most memorable crime film’s of the 90’s and is possibly one of the two or three best films for director Brian DePalma (Scar Face, Blow Out, Carrie), as well as Sean Penn (Mystic River, Milk, Hurly Burly) and Al Pacino (Heat, Serpico, Dog Day Afternoon). It’s grandeur rivals the God Father in it’s stateliness and comes as close to being a masterpiece as possible. It's classic American film making at it's best.
Based on the books ‘Carlito’s Way’ and ‘After Hours’ by Edwin Torres and made in 1993. Al Pacino is Carlito Bringante, a former assassin for the Spanish mob who’s done a long stretch of time behind bars and has now been released through an appeal, thanks to the sneaky work of his criminal lawyer and friend, David Kleinfeld (Sean Penn). Carlito swears to all that he’s staying out of prison this time and is clean and staying clean. After his lawyer laughs with him outside the court following his over the top, almost cheesy diatribe to the judge that resembles an acceptance speech, he restates his intentions to Kleinfeld, he’s clean he says, he’s officially retired.
Carlito attempts to stay on the straight and narrow, but in the same day he is released he gets into a shoot out. This marvellously crafted scene serves as an appetizer as the suspense builds and the character’s of Spanish Harlem’s crime world are explored. The dynamics between these characters are at breaking point, until they reach a pitch of perfection, bursting out into displays of intrigue, tension and action that is cinema at it’s most dynamic. It’s all a reminder of the greatness that can be achieved when all the elements are in the right place.
It had been a decade since Al Pacino and Brian DePalma collaborated on Scar Face and as it would happen it’s both their best films since. Carlito’s way captures a hard boiled nourish spirit complete with the narration of a doomed protagonist. Carlito’s Way is far more subtle than Scar Face and not as heavy handed as it either. It’s a character driven, street wise tale that exploits the spirit of Spanish Harlem through the music, the women and the life style, but without focusing on the excess. Where Scar Face stomped and shouted, Carlito’s Way creeps, it carefully wraps you up as it’s webs of danger are weaved silently, each of it’s characters going further and further into a place they shouldn’t be in - until it’s to late. The whole film tells a story of men who can’t see the forest from the trees as the tale of their mortality unravels.
Al Pacino and Sean Penn
DePalma’s show off, gaudy camera movements work well in serving the story. Nothing ever seems done for the sake of an empty visual kick, it instead serves to lift the film up to a sometimes operatic height, which in turn help to bring out the themes of hubris in it’s central male characters, they’re on a role, whatever they’re doing they’re getting away with or it’s working, but for how much longer? You feel this through out, as Brian DePalma, the Hitchcock protégé, once again shows off his skills in crafting suspense. The pacing and grand design which builds an elaborate picture, gives the film an epic, grandiose, feel. The pool hall sequence and the train station sequence are among Depalma’s best scenes ever done, taking the material to dizzying heights. There’s also a really impressive set design in the club that Carlito begins working in and Depalma damn near makes love to it, as he takes you through the walls and balcony’s of the club and the geography of it all adds to the psychological impact of these club scenes.
Al Pacino is dealing with a more reflective character here compared to Scar Face, a quieter man who’s trying to lay low as he furiously runs towards a dream. Aside from a couple of shouting moments which are thrown in to justify the Pacino name brand and pay check, he pulls off a far more introverted and fascinating performance than anything he has created in a long time, it’s no God Father or Scare Crow, but still a damn site better and riveting than some of the other hamming and screaming that he’s been guilty of in the past (Devil’s Advocate, the highly over rated Scent Of A Woman performance). At this point in his career it was a pleasure to be reminded that Pacino was still capable of subtlety and nuance, putting some thought into what he does. I say this keeping in mind that The Insider and Heat hadn’t yet been made at this point.
As for Sean Penn, this still stands up, to this day, as a contender for the best thing this tremendous actor has ever done in his oeuvre. While it’s always hard to ask, ‘what is his best performance?’, if you compare The Assassination of Richard Nixon, The Falcon and The Snowman or At Close Range with Carlito’s Way, the one thing that stands out about this performance here, is that you really forget who you’re watching during this film, more than ever, as Penn completely disappears into his role. It’s not just the fact that he looks different, the wave length that he’s on is so far removed from anything you’ve seen him in. It’s truly unbelievable what he does here. Penn plays David Kleinfeld, Carlito’s lawyer, a twitching, nervous and nerdy little coke fiend who gets seduced and sucked into the life style of the same criminals he's always defended in court. This will be the main element of danger for our hero, as Kleinfeld drags Carlito closer and closer into the ground.
There are many other great performances in this film, star turns from Viggo Mortensen (Eastern Promises, A History Of Violence, Lord Of The Rings), John Leguizamo (Romeo Juliet, Casualties Of War, Hangin’ With The Homeboys), who comes close to stealing the show, as well as Luis Guzman (Boogie Nights, Traffic, Magnolia), making this film worthy of being put on a pedestal. With cinematography by Stephen Burum (Rumble Fish, The Untouchables, Mission Impossible) that is to die for, everything is in place to make Carlito’s Way a masterpiece of crime and suspense, however there is one problem - and her name is Penelope Ann Miller. Penelope Miller (Awakenings, Biloxi Blues, Kindergarten Cop) plays the love interest for Pacino, it’s a fairly pedestrian girlfriend role that hurts the film slightly. Miller isn’t terrible, but more a case of bad casting. Depalma is clearly smitten by her but every time she’s on screen it feels like we’re watching a very different film, an inferior and generic one at that.
Aside from the flaw of Miller, this really is a stunning film that is masterfully conceived, almost all of it’s parts equal a sublime whole and it’s an example of wonderful suspense and character crime drama, with many dynamic scenes that are bold and operatic. This is Brian Deplama at the absolute top of his game.
Here’s an awesome trailer for an awesome film!
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Comment by Johnny Lavish
Comment by David O'Connell
20/20 Filmsight
Screen Fanatic
Comment by ShaunK
Screen Adventure
David - Yes - Along with Blow Out, this is my favourite Depalma film. He's unfortunately very hit and miss, but my God - when he is on, he is so fucking on!!
Damn - I forgot to mention the score - it's fantastic, you're the second person to point this out.
Thanks for reading
Comment by Matt Shea
Comment by ShaunK
Screen Adventure
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Totally agree that this is also one of Pacino and Penn's best, which really says something considering the caliber of work they do.
I recently revisited Sisters which for me also dazzled with stunning suspense and glorious camera angles.
Comment by ShaunK
Screen Adventure
Indeed, the earliest Depalma I've ever gone was Carrie, which is due for a review soon, but I haven't ever seen Sisters or Hi Mom! Is the latter recommended?
Comment by ShaunK
Screen Adventure
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
As for Leguizamo, it could be argued that his shtick has never been more appropriate.