Review of The Devil's Advocate (1997) by Gregory G — 17 Jun 2010
Enjoyable trash. As the head of a New York City law firm who turns out to be the Devil, Al Pacino gives a delightfully hammy performance. Keanu Reeves is the hotshot lawyer Pacino grooms to defend his clients with implications that extend beyond law cases.
(A nice touch: giving Pacino's character the name of John Milton, the author of "Paradise Lost".) Slickly directed by Taylor Hackford, "The Devil's Advocate" may be an over-the-top thriller but we're not meant to take its plot twists seriously.
The filmmakers mistakenly present the view that all defendants are really guilty and that the job of a lawyer is only to lie convincingly. None of this matters much because Pacino is clearly having a lot of fun with the role.
Reeves gives one of his more likable performances though he's no match for Pacino. Charlize Theron is limited in a thankless role as Reeves' wife who goes crazy in a manner that feels fraudulent.
But Judith Ivey is vivid in her brief role as Reeves' mother. Also with Connie Nielsen, Jeffery Jones, Delroy Lindo, Craig T. Nelson, Heather Matarazzo.
This review of The Devil's Advocate (1997) was written by Gregory G on 17 Jun 2010.
The Devil's Advocate has generally received positive reviews.
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