An exceptionally adept Florida lawyer is offered a job at a high-end New York City law firm with a high-end boss - the biggest opportunity of his career to date.
Kevin Lomax, a ruthless young Florida attorney who never lost a case, is recruited by the most powerful law firm in the world. In spite of his mother's disagreement, which compares New York City to Babylon, he accepts the offer and the money that comes along. But soon, his wife starts feeling homesick as she witnesses devilish apparitions. However, Kevin is sinking in his new cases and pays less and less attention to his wife. His boss and mentor, John Milton, seems to always know how to overcome every problem and that just freaks Kevin right off.Written by
Steve Richer <sricher@sympatico.ca>
The film was released 20 years after an unrelated film with the same English title, The Devil's Advocate (1977). See more »
Goofs
Pam says she's working on getting Kevin entered into the New York bar, but New York and Florida do not have a reciprocity agreement, meaning Kevin would have to sit for the New York bar exam. See more »
Quotes
[first lines]
Florida Prosecutor:
Go on, Barbara.
Barbara:
We go back to our homeroom for dismissal. Unless you have a pass for sports or somethin'.
Florida Prosecutor:
And is that what you did on the day in question?
Barbara:
No. Mr. Gettys asked me to stay after class.
See more »
Alternate Versions
In the version released for USA premium cable channels (premiering September 19, 1998 on HBO) as well as later releases on home video, the following changes were made in response to the lawsuit regarding the large white statue in Milton's office: in all the early scenes in his office, the statue has been changed. It looks much like the original with one major difference - there are no people in it. Instead, it's just an abstract swoosh of white waves. This was digitally inserted by Warner's effects department, and they did what must be said is an amazing job - the overlay is completely seamless, even following the random camera motions around the office. Later at the climax, when Lomax first arrives at Milton's office for the showdown and we hear Milton's voice bouncing around the office, the statue starts swirling to life. It comes to a rest in the form seen in the original version of the movie, with all the human forms in it, as Milton makes his appearance. From that point on, the scene remains the same as in the original. See more »
The reviews for "The Devil's Advocate" were not too kind, to say the least. But what did the critics refuse to see in this? With movies nowadays being nothing but flashy, over-the-top, masturbatory, CG-fests, "The Devil's Advocate" holds up like osmium.
The cinematography is good because it's quite understated and that's a virtue in today's cinema. The acting, while containing pretty lame Southern accents, is still pretty good. Even from Keanu, dude.
Sorely forgotten in it's day, the script tells a very deep, original and interesting story, with lots of development, respect for the characters, delicate pacing, and a head-spinning ending. The movie is solely about the people and their struggles. Fear takes hold of the audience through the dialogue.
Think of "The Devil's Advocate" as Woody Allen trying his hand at a horror/thriller and succeeding. This movie never makes you jump, but it puts you in a general state of discomfort through it's atmosphere. As with all memorable supernatural dramas, this one handles its spectacle with discretion and grace.
Isn't that what we hope to see when we watch any movie? 10/10
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The reviews for "The Devil's Advocate" were not too kind, to say the least. But what did the critics refuse to see in this? With movies nowadays being nothing but flashy, over-the-top, masturbatory, CG-fests, "The Devil's Advocate" holds up like osmium.
The cinematography is good because it's quite understated and that's a virtue in today's cinema. The acting, while containing pretty lame Southern accents, is still pretty good. Even from Keanu, dude.
Sorely forgotten in it's day, the script tells a very deep, original and interesting story, with lots of development, respect for the characters, delicate pacing, and a head-spinning ending. The movie is solely about the people and their struggles. Fear takes hold of the audience through the dialogue.
Think of "The Devil's Advocate" as Woody Allen trying his hand at a horror/thriller and succeeding. This movie never makes you jump, but it puts you in a general state of discomfort through it's atmosphere. As with all memorable supernatural dramas, this one handles its spectacle with discretion and grace.
Isn't that what we hope to see when we watch any movie? 10/10