"Carlito's Way" (1993)

Above, Sean Penn (left) and Al Pacino in Carlito's Way. Universal Pictures photo.

Last night, I watched a movie that I hadn't seen since it came out 27 years ago.

I was in the Flying J down the hill and was perusing the DVD bin and found a copy of Carlito's Way (1993) starring Al Pacino, Sean Penn and Penelope Ann Miller. I decided to buy it since I barely remembered a thing about it, despite the synopsis on the package.

From Rotten Tomatoes:

A free man after years in prison, Carlito Brigante (Al Pacino) intends to give up his criminal ways, but it's not long before the ex-con is sucked back into the New York City underworld. Reconnecting with his dancer girlfriend, Gail (Penelope Ann Miller), Carlito gets entangled in the shady dealings of his friend Dave Kleinfeld (Sean Penn), who also serves as his lawyer. When Carlito and Kleinfeld run afoul of shifty gangster Benny Blanco (John Alberto Leguizamo), it sets them on a dangerous path.

I watched it during dinner last night and it was like watching a new movie because I was so long since I last saw it.

Pacino gives a great performance. I didn't recognize Sean Penn at first, but he was great in his role as a sleazy lawyer. I am not a Penn fan by any means, but he did a great job in this. Brian De Palma directed.

Above, Gladstone's 4 Fish in Pacific Palisades. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It is funny that I remember the night I saw it. I went out with a former co-worker, Robyn, to dinner at Gladstone's 4 Fish in Pacific Palisades (one of my favorite seafood restaurants in L.A.) and we went to see the movie afterwards. It was around the time the Northridge Earthquake took place and Robyn was planning to move to Colorado shortly thereafter. 

One of these days, I'll pick up a copy of De Palma's/Pacino's Scarface. I don't believe I've ever seen that movie before. Carlito's Way has me curious enough to want to see it.

My grade: A.