It's All A Matter Of Free Will

Rating: 9/10 (7 July 2007)

You will never hear the devil's viewpoint argued better than in and by The Devil's Advocate. Although Keanu Reeves holds his own in this film, this piece of cinema is an Al Pacino show.
Pacino must have loved playing the devil, it shows in every word, in every gesture in his performance. Since Marlowe and Goethe cooked up Faust, the devil has had a great group of players taking on the part. People like Ray Milland, Ray Walston, Walter Huston have all done well with old Scratch, but no one ever tops Pacino in this.
That's probably because through cultural and religious restraints, the devil HAS to lose in the end. In this film, it's not necessarily the case. Keanu argues the Bible says he loses in the end, but Pacino says quite properly, consider the source.
Keanu Reeves is a hotshot trial lawyer from Florida who has rung up sixty three acquittals of various folks arrested. He's come to the attention of a very powerful law firm, headquartered in New York and they want to take him in. The senior partner is Al Pacino, a most mysterious fellow who moves among the rich and mighty with ease.
Just how powerful Reeves has no idea and why Pacino is so interested in him particularly is also a puzzle. The reasons are quite shocking when he finds out.
Although a talented supporting cast was gathered for this film, Pacino just overpowers this group with his performance. Even Reeves who actually has more screen time can barely keep pace.
And the ending has to be seen to be believed. Let's just say that old Scratch has more tricks in him than Harry Houdini, David Blaine, David Copperfield and all the rest of that magician crowd put together.
As he says, vanity is his favorite sin, it apparently is what trips mankind up every time, individually and collectively.