CARLITO'S WAY
A film review by Steve Rhodes
Copyright 1996 Steve Rhodes
RATING (0 TO ****): **
[This is one of my golden oldies reviews - written years
ago when I was just getting started and never posted.
I stand by the conclusions, but in most cases many details
are missing that I would normally include today.]
I know I should have liked CARLITO'S WAY, but it just did not work for me. Granted there was a lot of dreamy music as you watched an old time drug dealer played by Al Pacino trying to go straight. His performance was good albeit it fairly monotonous.
Sean Penn was in it, and was wonderful as a drug taking, evil lawyer. This type of role is usually overacted, but Penn, who has been done for overacting on too many occasions, was believable and fascinating. It MIGHT be worth going to see the show to see Penn's performance, but I don't think so.
The director was Brian De Palma. He is a director who is willing to take risks and his work product shows it. He has directed some of the best (THE AGE OF INNOCENCE, UNTOUCHABLES, BODY DOUBLE, SCARFACE, and WISE GUYS) and some of the worse (RAISING CAIN and BONFIRE OF THE VANITIES). I would put CARLITO'S WAY as a so-so show, I give it **, but I do not recommend it.
Overall, I just could not care about these people. They could live or die; I didn't care. If you do go, besides Penn's role to enjoy, there are wonderful rain scenes in New York.
**** = One of the top few films of this or any year. A must see film. *** = Excellent show. Look for it. ** = Average movie. Kind of enjoyable. * = Poor show. Don't waste your money. 0 = One of the worst films of this or any year. Totally unbearable.
REVIEW WRITTEN ON: December 27, 1993
Opinions expressed are mine and not meant to reflect my employer's.
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