Carlito's Way (1993)

The critic calls it a compelling gangster epic with De Palma at his virtuoso best in suspense sequences like the poolroom scene and Grand Central chase. It benefits from Pacino's haggard lead turn and strong support from Penn and others.

The critic calls it another crime-doesn't-pay tale reuniting Pacino and De Palma, with Carlito aiming to go straight but drawn back into trouble by his lawyer and old contacts. It singles out the smart script, De Palma's visual flair in New York settings, and thrilling set-pieces like the subway chase and escalator sequence, along with Pacino's restrained performance.

The critic praises the film as a strong character study of a criminal trying to go straight, highlighting De Palma's vivid set pieces like the Grand Central chase and Sean Penn's virtuoso performance as the lawyer.

The critic views the film as a fatalistic tragedy that turns the crime genre into something stylized and mythic rather than realistic. He singles out the touching romantic scenes between Carlito and Gail and the pulse-raising climactic chase sequence for praise.

The critic views it as a conventional genre piece elevated by De Palma's imaginative visual style, singling out the intricate concluding chase sequence as one of the director's most astonishing achievements.

The critic finds the film an improvement on De Palma's recent work thanks to strong technique in key suspense scenes and Pacino's charismatic performance. It is otherwise a fairly standard gangster redemption tale that feels overlong and uninnovative.

The review finds the film succeeds more through atmosphere and De Palma's visual style than narrative detail, crediting Pacino's entertaining presence for carrying a vaguely written lead character.

The review calls the film a solid but unexciting mid-level thriller that lacks the energy of its stars' and director's usual work, noting its best moments arrive too late in a overlong runtime.

The critic describes it as a straightforward gangster tragedy about a man trying to go straight but pulled back by his past and associates. Praise goes to the set-pieces, especially the Grand Central Station climax, and Pacino's star presence, while noting the film runs long and feels like a showpiece.

The critic finds Carlito's Way the superior De Palma-Pacino collaboration to Scarface and possibly the director's best film overall, praising its reflective tone, suspenseful set pieces, and soulful take on a gangster trying to go straight.

The critic praises the film's sense of impending doom and Al Pacino's pitch-perfect performance as Carlito, noting De Palma keeps him restrained effectively. They highlight the touching scenes with Penelope Ann Miller and the solid supporting cast including Sean Penn.