CARLITO'S WAY
A film review by Vjay Ramanujan
Copyright 1993 Vjay Ramanujan
Cast: Al Pacino, Sean Penn, Penelope Ann Miller
From the opening shot of Carlito Brigante (Al Pacino) being shot in Grand Central Station, with his girlfriend Gail (Penelope Ann Miller) by his side, you know there is going to be precious little suspense in this movie. Even the killer's identity is obvious halfway through the movie (if it takes that long). And in this case, that lack of suspense is crucial to the success of the movie. It doesn't allow you to spend so much time guessing that you miss the real substance of the movie, a character drama about a reformed mobster trying to detach his survival instinct from his killer instinct.
Brigante is released from prison on a technicality five years into a thirty-year prison term, and takes this second chance as an opportunity to go clean. He gives an acceptance speech in the courtroom, thanking his lawyer, his supporters, and even the prosecutor, for obtaining evidence illegally. His dream is to save $75,000 to buy into a friend's car rental place in the Bahamas, and to hook up with Gail, the girlfriend he dumped on the way into prison.
Right from the start you know two important things. 1) Carlito doesn't make it. You've already seen his get shot. 2) There's something not quite right with Kleinfeld (Sean Penn), Carlito's lawyer. Sean Penn turns in a great performance as the coke addicted, unscrupulous attorney trying to become a player in the Hispanic/Italian mob scene. He brings Carlito into partnership with a mobster, as part owner of a night club. He steals a girl from Benny Blanco, an up and coming leader in the drug trade. He steals $1 million from a client, bribe money intended to silence a witness. Now the client is in jail, and ready to kill Kleinfeld if he doesn't arrange a jail break.
Carlito is not your typical mobster hero, in control of everything and everyone. In fact, there are strong indications that he is washed up, unfit for the streets. The first scene is an obvious tip-off. Carlito doesn't realize that making his way out of the game is probably harder than surviving within its confines. He can't afford to take the liberties with the law that his adversaries can. Given a chance to kill Benny Blanco, he tells his henchmen to let Blanco go, admitting that it is probably a mistake. But if he doesn't make that kind of mistake, he is back in again.
With those two characters in place, the movie is filled out with the usual backups. There's the suffering girlfriend who dreams of becoming a Broadway dancer, but bides her time in a topless bar. There's Benny, the street punk who thinks he deserves respect from the legend, Carlito. There's Carlito's cousin, who is making small cash running drugs, and makes the mistake of trusting the people he deals with. There's the loyal sidekick, Pachango, and Sasso, the old washed-up loser who Carlito goes into business with. However, all of them take on some personality of their own, with the possible exception of Gail.
As for the acting, the leading roles were exceptional. On the way out of the theater, one of the people I had seen it with complained that Pacino no longer had the screen presence that he once had, that he doesn't seem as intimidating and as for the acting, the leading roles were exceptional. On the way out of the theater, one of the people I had seen it with complained that Pacino no longer had the screen presence that he once had, that he doesn't seem as intimidating anymore. All of those things could be said of Carlito. He not only looks confused, but gives the feeling that this used to come naturally. And Penn, as I said earlier, was excellent in showing Kleinfeld's descent, and eventual madness.
The supporting roles were good, especially Blanco, but nothing spectacular. The direction was obviously well done, especially the first and last scenes, in Grand Central Station. Overall, the movie rates a high three on a four-point scale.
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