Carlito's Way: Rise to Power (Video 2005)

In the late 1960s, Carlito Brigante (Hernandez) emerges as the heroin czar of Harlem.

Director:

Michael Bregman

Writers:

Michael Bregman (screenplay), Edwin Torres (novel)

Stars:

Jay Hernandez, Mario Van Peebles, Luis Guzmán

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jay Hernandez	...	Carlito Brigante
Mario Van Peebles	...	Earl
Luis Guzmán	...	Nacho Reyes
Sean Combs	...	Hollywood Nicky
Michael Kelly	...	Rocco
Giancarlo Esposito	...	Little Jeff
Jaclyn DeSantis	...	Leticia
Burt Young	...	Artie Bottolota Sr.
Mtume Gant	...	Reggie
Domenick Lombardozzi	...	Artie Bottolota, Jr.
Juan Carlos Hernández	...	Sigfredo
Eric Nieves	...	Chucho
Jaime Tirelli	...	Leticia's Father
Nelson Vasquez	...	Manny Sanchez
Casper Martinez	...	Colorado

Storyline

In the 60's, the Puerto Rican Carlito Brigante, the Afro-American Earl and the Italian Rocco become best friends while in prison. When they are released, Rocco intermediates a heroin business with a family of the Italian Mafia leaded by Artie Badalato Sr. Carlito negotiates with the lord Leroy "Hollywood Nicky" Barnes the area where the trio could operate in his neighborhood and sooner the three friends become powerful. Later, Carlito dates and has an affair with the beautiful Leticia. When Earl decides to move to Barbados with his girlfriend and leave the heroin business, his stupid younger brother causes a situation with the Italian mobsters, and Carlito and Rocco have to resolve the mess to save their lives.

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Plot Keywords:

heroin | puerto rican | mafia | prison | shot in the back | 

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language, violence, sexual content and drug material

Details

Official Sites:

Universal [us]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 December 2005 (Iceland)

Also Known As:

Carlito's Way 2: Rise to Power

Filming Locations:

Harlem, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$9,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Rogue Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The movie is based on one of Edwin Torres' book series on the criminal life of Carlito Brigante. This is based after the first book in the series "Carlito's Way". Brian De Palma's Carlito's Way took the first books title because at the time it was decided that they would not take the title of the second book "After Hours" to avoid confusion with the Martin Scorsese -directed movie of the same name (After Hours).

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Goofs

Since the move is set in the mid- to late-60s, Malcolm X Boulevard would not have existed and would only be known as Lenox Avenue. Lenox Avenue was subtitled Malcolm X Boulevard in 1987.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Carlito Brigante: Sooner or later, a thug will tell his tale. We all want to go on record. So let's hear it for all the hoods. The Jews out of Brownsville, the blacks on Lennox Avenue, the Italians from Mulberry Street, the Irish in Hell's Kitchen. Like that. Meanwhile, Puerto Rican's been getting jammed since the fortys, and ain't nobody said nothing. Well, I'm gonna lay it on you one time, for the record. My people. They hit New York and filed into the roach stables in Spanish Harlem and the South...
[...]

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Connections

Follows Carlito's Way (1993)

User Reviews

Hey, it could have been worse

I haven't read the book nor watched the original Carlito's Way... all I know about the latter is who stars and who directs that one, and I know even less than that about the novels. Perhaps that's why this didn't come off as being as awful as people seem to feel it was... no basis for comparison. The story isn't poor, and it's decently enough told. The plot develops throughout, with some surprises. The acting varies. The lead could be better. Combs, eh, I don't know. Young isn't bad, but hey, is he ever? The pacing is fine. The music is fair. Editing could be better, but it's not terrible. Effects and such do reveal a budget, one that wasn't the biggest, but it's not as obvious as it could be. There is hardly any action, and it's certainly not worth watching this for. There could be more tension, where such is attempted built. Language is... loose, and there's violence, sexuality and drug use as well... this is hardly a film for children. The voice-overs leave a lot to be desired. All in all, you could find movies that deliver considerably less. Be aware that this is more of a gangster feature than an action flick. I recommend this to people who enjoy cinema(or, in this case, direct-to-video releases) regarding the environment. 5/10