Carl Franklin's academic pursuits began at the University of California, Berkeley, where he studied history and dramatic arts. Following his undergraduate studies, he embarked on a television acting career, securing guest roles, appearances in TV movies and miniseries, and even becoming a regular on a few unsuccessful series.
After several years of acting, Franklin returned to academia, earning a master's degree in directing from the prestigious American Film Institute. His thesis film caught the attention of Roger Corman's Concorde Films, leading to his hiring.
Franklin's directorial breakthrough came in 1992 with the crime drama One False Move, which told the story of a manhunt for three small-time criminals after a botched drug deal. The film garnered widespread critical acclaim and earned Franklin several prestigious awards, including the New Generation Award from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association in 1992, the MTV Movie Award for Best New Filmmaker in 1992, and the IFP Spirit Award for Best Director in 1993.
Franklin's subsequent projects included writing and directing the crime drama Devil in a Blue Dress, starring Denzel Washington, in 1995. Although the film received rave reviews from critics, it struggled to attract a large audience. Franklin's next directorial effort was the adaptation of Anna Quindlen's autobiographical novel One True Thing, starring Meryl Streep, Renée Zellweger, and William Hurt, in 1998. Despite its poor box office performance, the film earned Streep Oscar and Golden Globe nominations for her portrayal of a mother dying of cancer.
Franklin returned to television for a few years, directing the series Partners in 1995. He then returned to films with High Crimes in 2002.
