On the Siskel & Ebert show, Ebert gave the film a thumbs up while Siskel gave it a thumbs down. Owen Gleiberman (from "Entertainment Weekly") described the film as "a competent and solidly unsurprising urban-underworld thriller" and is "okay entertainment," but went on to say that the plot would have worked better "as a lean and mean "Miami Vice" episode." The film has an approval rating of 81% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 48 reviews, with a weighted average of 7.10/10. The site's consensus states: ""Carlito's Way" reunites De Palma and Pacino for a more wistful take on the crime epic, delivering a stylish thriller with a beating heart beneath its pyrotechnic performances and set pieces."