: Features signature De Palma techniques, including a tense, prolonged subway chase culminating in Grand Central Station.
: The narrative is framed as a tragedy, opening with a shot of Carlito being gunned down, making his struggle for redemption feel like a "sprint against fate". Cast & Key Characters Description Carlito Brigante
Despite his intentions, he is repeatedly drawn back into the criminal underworld through:
: New, ambitious gangsters like Benny Blanco from the Bronx challenge his authority, testing his resolve to remain peaceful.
After serving five years of a 30-year sentence, Carlito is freed on a legal technicality exploited by his slick but corrupt lawyer, David Kleinfeld. Carlito vows to abandon his criminal life, aiming to save $75,000 by managing a nightclub to eventually retire in the Bahamas with his former love, Gail.
Carlito’s erratic, drug-addicted lawyer whose betrayal catalyzes the tragedy. Penelope Ann Miller
: His commitment to Kleinfeld, who becomes increasingly reckless and coked-out, forces Carlito into dangerous situations with the Italian mob.
is a tragic crime drama directed by Brian De Palma that explores the impossibility of escaping a violent past. Starring Al Pacino as Carlito Brigante, the film is set in 1975 New York City and follows a former heroin kingpin who attempts to go straight after being released early from prison. Core Premise & Plot