If Tony Montana had done hard time and come out older and wiser, he might have become Carlito Brigante, the mature, wary crime boss trying to cheat destiny in this underrated drama. Pacino’s performance is magisterial, though Sean Penn nearly steals the film from him as Carlito’s weasel lawyer. De Palma, too, seems more mature, directing with subtlety but complete self-assurance.
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