Carlito's Way in the first place. The film is based mainly on "After Hours", but used the title of the first novel to avoid it being confused with Martin Scorsese's 1985 film of the same name. "Carlito's Way" received a mixed response from critics, with a similar lukewarm result at the box office, but has subsequently become a cult film. Both Penn and Miller received Golden Globe nominations for their performances. A prequel titled "", based on the first novel, was released direct-to-video in 2005. In 1975, after serving 5 years of a 30-year prison sentence, Carlito Brigante is freed on a
Carlito's Way legal technicality exploited by his close friend and lawyer, Dave Kleinfeld. Carlito vows to be through with his criminal activities but is persuaded to accompany his young cousin Guajiro to a drug deal held at a bar. Guajiro is betrayed and killed by his suppliers and Carlito is forced to shoot his way out. Later, Carlito takes Guajiro's $30,000 from the botched deal and uses it to buy into a nightclub owned by a gambling addict named Saso with the intention of saving $75,000 to retire to the Caribbean. As nightclub co-owner, Carlito declines several offers for a business partnership