You've gotta be kidding

Rating: Null/10 (7 November 2001)

I recently rented The Devil's Advocate, remembering that it had be
recommended by a family member who's taste I now have to
question. I've read several of the other comments posted here
and I simply can't believe the praise being lavished on this
remarkably mediocre film. Where to begin. Well, let's start with
Keanu Reeves trying on a Southern (?) drawl and succeeding only
in proving he can be a lousy actor in more than one dialect. Then
you've got Al Pacino chewing the scenery shamelessly. I'm
tempted to read the novel this movie was based on, if only to see if
the reasonably interesting premise was handled with any more
subtlety in print. Because the movie is like a 2.5 hour Western
Union commercial, with every plot twist telegraphed an hour ahead
of its arrival. Was there really anyone who didn't recognize that
Pacino was supposed to be Satan the moment they learned his
character was named John Milton? Could the endless succession of demons and specters have been a clue? And all the while, Keanu and Charlize Theron just keep drawlin'
and Al keeps shoutin' and it all leads up to what, exactly? The
flying mallet to the head moral that a scuzzy lawyer that stops at
nothing to win will eventually pay a price for his amorality? Who
would have guessed? Who would have cared? But, hey, the
music was good. But what was the deal with the voodoo guy and
the goat? Awww, nevermind.