Smell the Movies
Smell the TV
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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| Year: | 1993 |
| Country of origin: | USA |
| Director: | Brian De Palma |
| Genre: | Crime thriller |
| Starring: | Al Pacino, Sean Penn, Penelope Ann Miller, John Leguizamo |
| Rating: | 4/5 |
| IMDB link: | http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106519/ |
| Tagline: | No tagline |
| Favourite line: | "Here comes the pain." |
De Palma and Pacino team up once again, in an apparent attempt to recreate the flawless Scarface.
And they succeed as well.
Well, nearly.
Pacino plays Carlito Brigante, a one time drug dealer, fresh out of prison. He vows to change his ways completely, plans to go straight, and he means it too. Trouble is, old friends and family members keep getting in the way, as no-one seems to want to believe that he is not a con anymore. And when his best friend and, incidentally, the lawyer who got him out of prison a mere five years into a thrity year sentence asks him to do one small favour, his life is set on an inexorable path that will see him return to the life of crime he thought he had left behind.
Pacino is in fine form here, a dominating presence every second of his screen time. The support are highly credible too, and Sean Penn is stunning as the shifty lawyer, Kleinfeld.
Whilst it does get a little bogged down in the middle, particularly with the over long and, at times, overly melodramatic 'romance' angle, this is still a highly effective, very enjoyable crime thriller from one of the best directors in the business.
Not as gritty as Scarface, and nowhere near as iconic, this is still well worth a watch.
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