The Devil's Advocate (1997)

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.

Director:

Taylor Hackford

Writers:

Andrew Neiderman (novel), Jonathan Lemkin (screenplay)

Stars:

Keanu Reeves, Al Pacino, Charlize Theron

2 wins & 7 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Keanu Reeves	...	Kevin Lomax
Al Pacino	...	John Milton
Charlize Theron	...	Mary Ann Lomax
Jeffrey Jones	...	Eddie Barzoon
Judith Ivey	...	Mrs. Alice Lomax
Connie Nielsen	...	Christabella Andreoli
Craig T. Nelson	...	Alexander Cullen
Tamara Tunie	...	Mrs. Jackie Heath
Ruben Santiago-Hudson	...	Leamon Heath
Debra Monk	...	Pam Garrety
Vyto Ruginis	...	Mitch Weaver - Justice Department
Laura Harrington	...	Melissa Black
Pamela Gray	...	Mrs. Diana Barzoon
George Wyner	...	Meisel
Chris Bauer	...	Lloyd Gettys (as Christopher Bauer)

Storyline

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.

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Plot Keywords:

deal with the devil | lawyer | the devil | vanity | supernatural power | 

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Taglines:

Devil begins and wins.

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Genres:

Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for sexuality, nudity, violence and language

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film was released 20 years after an unrelated film with the same English title, The Devil's Advocate (1977).

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Connections

Featured in The Rotten Tomatoes Show: The Road/Ninja Assassin/Old Dogs (2009)

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Soundtracks

La niña del Canastero
Written by J. Gomez Gorjon, Antonio Vargas Cortés (as Antonio Vargas Cortes) and Tomatito (as Jose Fernandez Torres)

User Reviews

The Most Underrated Film of the '90s

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

Details

Official Sites:

WarnerBros.com

Country:

USA Germany

Language:

English German Italian Mandarin Spanish

Release Date:

17 October 1997 (USA)

Also Known As:

Devil's Advocate

Filming Locations:

50th Floor, Continental Tower, Continental Plaza, Wall Street, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$57,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$12,170,536, 19 October 1997

Gross USA:

$60,944,660

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$152,944,660

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros., New Regency Productions, Kopelson Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

144 min 136 min (TV)

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1