Carlito's Way: Rise to Power stars Jay Hernandez as Carlito Brigante, and chronicles Brigante's rise as a heroin drug czar in 1960s Harlem, New York. The film also features Mario Van Peebles, Michael Joseph Kelly, Luis Guzmán, Jaclyn DeSantis, Sean Combs, Burt Young, and Domenick Lombardozzi. Critically panned, the film nevertheless received Torres's as an accurate adaptation of the first half of his novel. The story begins in the 1960s with three inmates in a New York prison — Earl (Van Peebles), Rocco (Kelly), and Carlito (Hernandez) — controlling their criminal empire within their cell. Upon their release, they all look to control the drug
Carlito Brigante Carlito's quick exit is halted by Pete Amadesso, Johnny Manzanero, and Joe Battaglia, a posse of Italian gangsters that were involved in the drug business before Carlito was arrested. Vinnie arrives at Carlito's club to join the other Italians and makes a comment about the lawyer. Carlito puts on a ruse, claiming he hasn't seen Kleinfeld lately. The mobsters recognize he's involved, and after Carlito gathers his money and escapes, they pursue him into a subway station. Carlito kills all of the mobsters except Vinnie, who is fatally injured and finished off by the police. As Carlito approaches Gail and