The Devil's Advocate (1997 film)

The Devil's Advocate
File:Devils advocate poster.jpg Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Taylor Hackford
Screenplay by	Jonathan Lemkin Tony Gilroy
Produced by	Anne Kopelson Arnold Kopelson Arnon Milchan
Starring	Keanu Reeves Al Pacino Charlize Theron Jeffrey Jones Judith Ivey Connie Nielsen Craig T. Nelson Tamara Tunie Ruben Santiago-Hudson Debra Monk
Cinematography	Andrzej Bartkowiak
Edited by	Mark Warner
Music by	James Newton Howard
Production company	Regency Enterprises
Distributed by	Warner Bros.
Release date	October 17, 1997 (1997-10-17)
Running time	143 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$57 million
Box office	$152,944,660

The Devil's Advocate (marketed as Devil's Advocate) is a 1997 American horror film directed by Taylor Hackford starring Keanu Reeves, Al Pacino and Charlize Theron, and based on a novel by Andrew Neiderman.

The film's title is a reference to the common phrase "devil's advocate", and Pacino's character is a tribute to the author of Paradise Lost, John Milton. The movie has some minor allusions to Milton's epic, such as the famous quotation "Better to reign in Hell, than to serve in Heaven".

Plot

Kevin Lomax (Keanu Reeves), a defense attorney in Gainesville, Florida, has never lost a case. He defends a schoolteacher, Mr. Gettys (Chris Bauer), against a charge of child molestation. During the trial, Kevin learns his client is guilty. A reporter tells him, "Nobody wins 'em all". Through a harsh cross-examination, Kevin destroys the credibility of the victim (Heather Matarazzo).

Kevin is approached by a representative of the New York law firm Milton, Chadwick & Waters, who offers him a large sum of money to help the firm with a jury selection. After his jury delivers a not guilty verdict, John Milton (Al Pacino) offers Kevin a large salary and a swanky apartment if he joins the firm. Despite his Evangelical Christian mother, Alice's (Judith Ivey) warning about sinful big city life, Kevin accepts the job and moves with his wife Mary Ann (Charlize Theron) to Manhattan.

Kevin first defends a Voodoo sorcerer (Delroy Lindo) who ritually sacrificed an animal. He compares the incident to kashrut law and claims that his client is protected under freedom of religion, winning the case. Kevin spends an increasing amount of time at work, leaving Mary Ann feeling isolated.

Kevin next defends Alexander Cullen (Craig T. Nelson), a corporate billionaire accused of murdering his wife and child. This case demands more of Kevin's time, further separating him from Mary Ann. He begins having fantasies about co-worker Christabella Andreoli (Connie Nielsen), while Mary Ann shows signs of mental illness. Milton suggests that Kevin step down from the trial but Kevin refuses.

Eddie Barzoon (Jeffrey Jones), the firm's managing attorney, is convinced that Kevin is competing for his job after finding his name in the company papers as a partner. Although Kevin denies any knowledge, Barzoon threatens to inform United States Attorney Weaver about the situation. Kevin tells Milton about Barzoon's threats, but Milton is unconcerned. While jogging in Central Park Barzoon is beaten to death by vagrants, who take on demonic appearances. Mary Ann witnesses this, further eroding her sanity.

While preparing Melissa (Laura Harrington) to testify about Cullen's alibi, Kevin realizes she is lying and tells Milton he believes Cullen is guilty. Milton offers to back Kevin regardless. Kevin decides to proceed and wins an acquittal.

After the trial Kevin finds Mary Ann in a nearby church. She is naked and covered with cuts. She tells her husband that Milton raped and mutilated her, but Kevin saw Milton in court with him at the time of the alleged attack; he believes that Mary Ann injured herself and has her committed.

Kevin is approached by Weaver with knowledge of the law firm's illegal activities. Although Kevin tries walking away, he stops when Weaver tells him that Mr. Gettys was found with the dead body of a girl in his car trunk. Following Kevin, Weaver walks into the street and is run over by a car.

Alice and Pam (Debra Monk), Kevin's case manager at the firm, visit Mary Ann. Alone with Mary Ann, Pam appears as a demon through a mirror. Mary Ann smashes the mirror and uses the pieces to attack Pam. As Kevin tries to break down the door, Mary Ann cuts her throat with the glass, killing herself.

Before he can mourn, Alice reveals that Milton is his father. Kevin leaves the hospital to confront Milton. Milton admits to raping Mary Ann. Kevin fires a pistol into his father's chest, but the bullets have no effect. Kevin realizes that Milton is not only his father but also Satan.

Kevin blames Milton for everything that happened, but Satan explains that he merely "set the stage", and that Kevin could have left at any time. Kevin realizes that he always wanted to win, no matter the cost, and left Mary Ann behind.

Satan explains that he wants Kevin and Christabella, who is Kevin's half-sister, to conceive a child: the Antichrist. He offers Kevin anything that he wants. Kevin cites free will and shoots himself in the head, triggering a vision of Hell.

Kevin wakes up during the recess of the Gettys trial. After embracing Mary Ann, Kevin announces that he can no longer represent his pedophile client, despite the threat of being disbarred. A reporter follows Kevin and Mary Ann, pleading for an interview and promising to make Kevin a star. After some prodding from Mary Ann, Kevin reluctantly agrees. After Kevin and Mary Ann leave, the reporter shapeshifts into a grinning Milton. Breaking the fourth wall, he says, "Vanity, definitely my favorite sin."

Reception

The Devil's Advocate received generally favorable reviews and holds a 65% rating in Rotten Tomatoes. Critic James Berardinelli wrote that the film "is a highly-enjoyable motion picture that's part character study, part supernatural thriller, and part morality play" while Roger Ebert wrote "The movie never fully engaged me; my mind raced ahead of the plot, and the John Grisham stuff clashed with the Exorcist stuff." It also holds a rating of 60 on Metacritic.

Box office performance

The Devil's Advocate earned $12,170,536 during its opening weekend in the United States finishing second in the box office. It ended with a total domestic gross of $60,944,660, and $92,000,000 intergnationally.

Legal problems

The film was the subject of legal action following its release. The claim was that the sculpture featuring human forms in John Milton's apartment closely resembled the Ex nihilo sculpture by Frederick Hart on the facade of the Episcopal National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., and that a scene involving the sculpture infringed Hart's rights under copyright law. After a federal judge ruled that the film's video release would be delayed until the case went to trial unless a settlement was reached, Warner Bros. agreed to edit the scene for future releases and to attach stickers to unedited videotapes to indicate there was no relation between the sculpture in the film and Hart's work.

Cast

• Keanu Reeves as Kevin Lomax
• Al Pacino as John Milton
• Charlize Theron as Mary Ann Lomax
• Jeffrey Jones as Eddie Barzoon
• Judith Ivey as Alice Lomax
• Connie Nielsen as Christabella Andreoli
• Heather Matarazzo as Barbara
• Craig T. Nelson as Alexander Cullen
• Tamara Tunie as Jackie Heath
• Ruben Santiago-Hudson as Leamon Heath
• Debra Monk as Pam Garrety
• Vyto Ruginis as Mitch Weaver, Justice Dept.
• Laura Harrington as Melissa Black
• Pamela Gray as Diana Barzoon
• George Wyner as Meisel
• Delroy Lindo as Phillipe Moyez (uncredited)
• Don King as himself

External links

• The Devil's Advocate at IMDb
• Template:Amg movie
• The Devil's Advocate at Rotten Tomatoes