As charismatic and smooth as ever, the mesmerising Al Pacino stars - with help from the excellent Sean Penn - in one of the many roles he was 'born to play'.
Carlito Brigante chooses to lead a quiet life after being released from prison. But when he reluctantly becomes a part of a drug deal, he realises that there is no escape.
Brian De Palma's Carlito's Way doubled its budget in the box office and in the eyes of eager cinephiles, it really could've trebled its numbers, through its classic crime, thrilling shoot of scenes at a fast pace and intense atmosphere. The ever-moving picture stretches landscape from the smoking streets of urban New York, to green, serene plots by soothing waters. Though the movie very rarely matches its background; David Koepp articulates his screenplay to highlight each characters' hubris in contrast to their high-standing status.
A cyclical structure that loops and twists throughout the 140 minutes, De Palms successfully crafts his vision of every scene to leave a lasting remark on the audience, one which allows an array of emotions to be tested, as the eyes remain fixated on a sensational masterpiece. The particular Grand Central Station scene comes to mind, a drawn out, heart-pounding, nail-biting exchange that feels almost 2 hours alone. Equally, a memorable early morning boat trip, hits the same as the perfect pool shot in a backstreet bar.
Accompanying Pacino's brilliance, Penelope Ann Miller deserved her Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actress in 1994, the innocence complimenting elegance is the perfect tonic to the hard-hitting, tough male lead's. Sean Penn is a character who's journey is portrayed to be the most drastic, a man consumed by power, who can't stay in his lane is captured with class on camera.
Finally, 1993's release, adapted from Edwin Torres' twin novels of the same name as well as 'After Hours' gifts cinema with arguably the greatest character names of all time: long live Benny Blanco from the Bronx.
Rating: 8.7/10.
Carlito Brigante chooses to lead a quiet life after being released from prison. But when he reluctantly becomes a part of a drug deal, he realises that there is no escape.
Brian De Palma's Carlito's Way doubled its budget in the box office and in the eyes of eager cinephiles, it really could've trebled its numbers, through its classic crime, thrilling shoot of scenes at a fast pace and intense atmosphere. The ever-moving picture stretches landscape from the smoking streets of urban New York, to green, serene plots by soothing waters. Though the movie very rarely matches its background; David Koepp articulates his screenplay to highlight each characters' hubris in contrast to their high-standing status.
A cyclical structure that loops and twists throughout the 140 minutes, De Palms successfully crafts his vision of every scene to leave a lasting remark on the audience, one which allows an array of emotions to be tested, as the eyes remain fixated on a sensational masterpiece. The particular Grand Central Station scene comes to mind, a drawn out, heart-pounding, nail-biting exchange that feels almost 2 hours alone. Equally, a memorable early morning boat trip, hits the same as the perfect pool shot in a backstreet bar.
Accompanying Pacino's brilliance, Penelope Ann Miller deserved her Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actress in 1994, the innocence complimenting elegance is the perfect tonic to the hard-hitting, tough male lead's. Sean Penn is a character who's journey is portrayed to be the most drastic, a man consumed by power, who can't stay in his lane is captured with class on camera.
Finally, 1993's release, adapted from Edwin Torres' twin novels of the same name as well as 'After Hours' gifts cinema with arguably the greatest character names of all time: long live Benny Blanco from the Bronx.
Rating: 8.7/10.