A free man after years in prison, Carlito Brigante intends to give up his criminal ways, but it's not long before the ex-con is sucked back into the New York City underworld. Reconnecting with his dancer girlfriend, Gail, Carlito gets entangled in the shady dealings of his friend Dave Kleinfeld, who also serves as his lawyer. When Carlito and Kleinfeld run afoul of shifty gangster Benny Blanco, it sets them on a dangerous path.