"He's got a good future if he can live past next week."
Carlito's Way - Movie Quotes
Memorable Quotes
Favor gonna kill you faster than a bullet.
— Carlito Brigante
Context:
Carlito says this to his lawyer, Dave Kleinfeld, early in the film when Kleinfeld offers to cut him in on a nightclub deal. Carlito initially refuses, recognizing that accepting such a 'favor' will only enmesh him further in his old world.
Meaning:
This line encapsulates the film's central theme of how obligations and loyalties in the criminal world are deadly traps. Carlito understands that favors create debts that can only be repaid with dangerous actions, pulling him back into the life he wants to escape.
Sorry, boys, all the stitches in the world can't sew me together again. Lay down... lay down.
— Carlito Brigante
Context:
This quote is part of the narration as Carlito lies dying on the train platform after being shot by Benny Blanco. He speaks these words to the paramedics trying to save him, acknowledging the finality of his end.
Meaning:
These are Carlito's final thoughts, delivered via voice-over. They convey a sense of tragic acceptance of his fate. He recognizes that his wounds are fatal and that his long struggle is over. It's a moment of profound, weary resignation.
You ain't a lawyer no more, Dave. You a gangster now. You're on the other side. Whole new ball game. You can't learn about it in school, and you can't have a late start.
— Carlito Brigante
Context:
Carlito says this to Kleinfeld after Kleinfeld has committed a murder and is spiraling out of control. It marks a turning point where Carlito realizes his lawyer has become a liability and is no longer just dabbling in crime but is consumed by it.
Meaning:
Carlito explains to Kleinfeld that he has crossed a line from which there is no return. He is pointing out the naivety and recklessness of Kleinfeld's immersion into the criminal world, a world with rules that Kleinfeld does not truly understand.
The street is watchin'. She is watchin' all the time.
— Carlito Brigante
Context:
Carlito reflects on this after he humiliates Benny Blanco but lets him live. He knows that this act of mercy will be interpreted as weakness on the street, putting him in a more dangerous position.
Meaning:
This line personifies the ever-present, judgmental nature of the criminal underworld. Carlito feels the constant pressure of his reputation and knows that any perceived weakness will be seen and exploited. It speaks to the theme that his past is inescapable because it is constantly being monitored and enforced by his environment.