Carlito's Way

"I'm retired... Why's that so funny?" Carlito is a man under the false impression that his decisions dictate his outcomes. Throughout the film, he encounters reminders of his gangster past accompanied by invitations back into it. At first, he is adamant that he's clean. Through seemingly no fault of his own, he is drawn back into the life he swore to leave behind him. De Palma uses mirrors multiple times throughout the film as if to show that Carlito must constantly reassure himself of his changed nature. My favorite scene in this movie is when Carlito discovers his savings missing from the safe - fittingly hidden by a mirror on the wall - and we finally get a glimpse of the old Carlito. Pacino does it so subtly yet so demonstrably. The ambient disco music during the tracking shot is the cherry on top of this perfect scene. Def checking out more De Palma after this classic.