Movies Like Carlito's Way (1993)

Carlito's Way is a 1993 crime, drama, thriller film from Brian De Palma with a MovieMagicScore of 7.8/10. Here are 20 similar films, ranked by real viewer ratings — starting with Carlito's Way: Rise to Power and We Own the Night.

Crime Drama Thriller

Carlito's Way: Rise to Power

2005

Seduced by the brutal New York underworld, future gangster legend Carlito Brigante enters a deadly circle of greed and retribution. Assisted by his two brothers-in-crime, Carlito is on the fast track to becoming Spanish Harlem's ultimate kingpin. He quickly learns, however, that the only way to survive at the top is through loyalty to his friends and respect for the rules of the street.

4.7

MagicScore

We Own the Night

2007

A New York nightclub manager tries to save his brother and father from Russian mafia hitmen.

6.7

MagicScore

54

1998

Shane O'Shea, a Jersey boy with big dreams, crosses the river in hopes of finding another, more exciting life at Studio 54. When Steve Rubell, the mastermind behind the infamous disco plucks Shane from the sea of faces clamoring to get inside his club, Shane not only gets his foot in the door, but lands a coveted job behind the bar - and a front-row ticket to the most legendary party on the planet.

5.9

MagicScore

The Last Days of Disco

1998

Two young women and their friends spend spare time at an exclusive nightclub in 1980s New York.

6.2

MagicScore

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

1998

Raoul Duke and his attorney Dr. Gonzo drive a red convertible across the Mojave desert to Las Vegas with a suitcase full of drugs to cover a motorcycle race. As their consumption of drugs increases at an alarming rate, the stoned duo trash their hotel room and fear legal repercussions. Duke begins to drive back to L.A., but after an odd run-in with a cop, he returns to Sin City and continues his wild drug binge.

7.2

MagicScore

Lower City

2005

Best friends Deco and Naldinho co-own a cargo boat in Brazil's Salvador da Bahia. They give a ride to a sultry prostitute named Karinna, and soon both men fall prey to her considerable sexual charms, pushing the bounds of their friendship to the limit.

6.4

MagicScore

Boogie Nights

1997

In 1977, an idealistic porn producer and his promising protege try to catch up with the end of an era before their never-ending party collides with cold, hard reality.

7.6

MagicScore

Inherent Vice

2014

In Los Angeles at the turn of the 1970s, drug-fueled detective Larry "Doc" Sportello investigates the disappearance of an ex-girlfriend.

6.5

MagicScore

King of New York

1990

A former drug lord returns from prison determined to wipe out all his competition and distribute the profits of his operations to New York's poor and lower classes in this stylish and ultra violent modern twist on Robin Hood.

6.7

MagicScore

#10

Pale Flower

1964

A gangster gets released from prison and has to cope with the recent shifts of power between the gangs, while taking care of a thrill-seeking young woman, who got in bad company while gambling.

7.3

MagicScore

#11

True Romance

1993

Clarence marries hooker Alabama, steals cocaine from her pimp, and tries to sell it in Hollywood, while the owners of the coke try to reclaim it.

7.5

MagicScore

#12

Layer Cake

2004

When a seemingly straight-forward drug deal goes awry, XXXX has to break his die-hard rules and turn up the heat, not only to outwit the old regime and come out on top, but to save his own skin...

6.9

MagicScore

#13

A Scanner Darkly

2006

An undercover cop in a not-too-distant future becomes involved with a dangerous new drug and begins to lose his own identity as a result.

6.8

MagicScore

#14

Party Monster

2003

The New York club scene of the 80s and 90s was a world like no other. Into this candy-colored, mirror ball playground stepped Michael Alig, a wannabe from nowhere special. Under the watchful eye of veteran club kid James St. James, Alig quickly rose to the top... and there was no place to go but down.

5.8

MagicScore

#15

Starsky & Hutch

2004

Join uptight David Starsky and laid-back Ken "Hutch" Hutchinson as they're paired for the first time as undercover cops. The new partners must overcome their differences to solve an important case with help from street informant Huggy Bear and persuasive criminal Reese Feldman.

5.8

MagicScore

#16

Liquid Sky

1982

An alien creature invades New York's punk subculture in its search for an opiate released by the brain during an orgasm.

5.8

MagicScore

#17

Killing Them Softly

2012

Jackie Cogan is an enforcer hired to restore order after three dumb guys rob a Mob protected card game, causing the local criminal economy to collapse.

6.0

MagicScore

#18

Payback

1999

With friends like these, who needs enemies? That's the question bad guy Porter is left asking after his wife and partner steal his heist money and leave him for dead -- or so they think. Five months and an endless reservoir of bitterness later, Porter's partners and the crooked cops on his tail learn how bad payback can be.

6.8

MagicScore

#19

The Godfather Part II

1974

In the continuing saga of the Corleone crime family, a young Vito Corleone grows up in Sicily and in 1910s New York. In the 1950s, Michael Corleone attempts to expand the family business into Las Vegas, Hollywood and Cuba.

8.6

MagicScore

#20

The Great Beauty

2013

Jep Gambardella has seduced his way through the lavish nightlife of Rome for decades, but after his 65th birthday and a shock from the past, Jep looks past the nightclubs and parties to find a timeless landscape of absurd, exquisite beauty.

7.5

MagicScore

Frequently asked

What are the best movies like Carlito's Way?

The top films similar to Carlito's Way by MovieMagicScore are Carlito's Way: Rise to Power (4.7), We Own the Night (6.7), 54 (5.9). Each shares crime/drama/thriller themes and is ranked by real viewer ratings, not critics or studios.

Is Carlito's Way worth watching?

Carlito's Way holds a MovieMagicScore of 7.8/10 from 3,331 viewer ratings, putting it among the better-reviewed titles in its genre.

What kind of movie is Carlito's Way?

Carlito's Way (1993) is a crime, drama, thriller film directed by Brian De Palma, starring Al Pacino, Sean Penn, Penelope Ann Miller.

Where can I find more recommendations like Carlito's Way?

Browse the full ranked list above, or explore more crime recommendations on MovieMagicScore, where every list is ordered by genuine viewer ratings.

Keep exploring

Movies like Carlito's Way: Rise to Power Movies like We Own the Night Movies like 54 Movies like The Last Days of Disco Movies like Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas Movies like Lower City

About movies like Carlito's Way

This ranked list pairs Carlito's Way (1993), a crime and drama and thriller film from Brian De Palma, with similar titles by genre, theme and cast overlap (fans of Al Pacino take note). Unlike critic-driven sites, every position here is ordered by MovieMagicScore — a rating built only from real viewers, with no studio marketing or paid placement. Scores update as more people rate, so the list stays current.

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