The Devil's Advocate (1997)

Director:

Taylor Hackford

Writers (WGA):

Andrew Neiderman (novel)
Jonathan Lemkin (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

17 October 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

The newest attorney at the world's most powerful law firm has never lost a case. But he's about to lose his soul.

Plot:

A hotshot lawyer gets more than he bargained for when he learns his new boss is Lucifer himself.

Plot Keywords:

Lawyer | New York | Law Firm | Florida | Law

Awards:

1 win & 5 nominations

Cast

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	...	Mrs. Melissa Black
Pamela Gray	...	Mrs. Diana Barzoon
George Wyner	...	Meisel
Chris Bauer	...	Lloyd Gettys (as Christopher Bauer)

Also Known As:

Devil's Advocate (USA) (DVD box title)
Im Auftrag des Teufels (Germany)

MPAA:

Rated R for sexuality, nudity, violence and language.

Runtime:

144 min | Turkey:136 min (TV version)

Country:

USA | Germany

Language:

English | German | Italian | Mandarin | Spanish

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #35596) | Canada:16+ (Quebec) | Canada:18 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:R (Manitoba) | Iceland:16 | Canada:14A | Singapore:R21 (re-rating) | Philippines:R-18 | Argentina:16 | Australia:R | Belgium:KT | Brazil:16 | Chile:14 | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | Germany:16 (bw) | Hong Kong:IIB | Malaysia:(Banned) | Mexico:C | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:R18 | Norway:15 | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:R(A) | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

Originally the film was a more special-effects oriented, blockbuster-type movie and was turned down by Al Pacino five times. But when Taylor Hackford went through a few script re-writes he offered it to Pacino again. Pacino liked it, but didn't think he could portray Milton properly, and suggested Sean Connery or Robert Redford instead.

Goofs:

Boom mic visible: Reflection of boom mic on tiled wall as Kevin talks to Mary on payphone.

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.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Payback (1999/I)

Soundtrack:

Moment to Moment

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