The Devil's Advocate

Rating: 3/10 (3 February 2009)

I knew the two lead actors, and I knew vaguely what the title suggested, but that's about it, so I tried this supernatural thriller from director Taylor Hackford (An Officer and a Gentleman, Ray). Basically Kevin Lomax (Keanu Reeves) is the ruthless young lawyer/attorney from Florida, and is recruited by John Milton (Al Pacino), owner of the most powerful law firm in the world, in New York. Kevin goes even after his mother, Mrs. Alice Lomax (Judith Ivey), disagreed, and soon after joining, his wife Mary Ann (Charlize Theron) becomes homesick as she witnesses more and more devilish apparitions, and as Kevin gets more cases, he pays less attention to her. Kevin gets very freaked by how his boss John knows how to solve every situation, and after his wife's suicide, and his mother's revelation that John is his father, there is the final battle of man vs. The Devil. Also starring Jeffrey Jones as Eddie Barzoon, Connie Nielsen as Christabella Andreoli, The Incredibles' Craig T. Nelson as Alexander Cullen, Tamara Tunie as Mrs. Jackie Heath, Heather Matarazzo as Barbara and American Boxing Promoter Don King. The only problem I have with Pacino being The Devil is, how an he still walk into a church, and why does he dunk his finger in the holy water? It is pretty unbelievable, but both Reeves and Pacino make the most of their parts, and I guess it has its tiny moments that you can enjoy, but I can't say it is a great film. Adequate!