Idea Movie....OK for Timepass

Rating: 6/10 (5 October 2008)

In the devils advocate, Keanu Reeves plays Kevin Lomax who literally ends up becoming the title character. Small time hotshot lawyer, Lomax gets the job of his lifetime with Milton (Al Pacino with dilated pupils) the most powerful Manhattan lawyer. With pretty wife Mary Ann (an ill looking Charlize Theron) in toe things seem perfect except that his new employer is the devil Lucifer himself! Things begin to turn ugly and Lomax soon realizes that there is a price to pay to work for Milton  his soul. Al Pacino does well to spew his venom but somehow not enough. Keanu looks confused as always, an expression that has not left him from his 'My Own Private Idaho's ' days while Theron is reduced to being hysterical and showing skin. There is also Connie Nelson as the seductress in the office, bait Milton uses to buy Lomax's soul with if you please.
What might confuse people is that what devils advocate actually stands for - is it a supernatural thriller or some sort of a commentary on the declining moral standards of the American legal system or simply a rant against evil corporations. Well actually it could stand for all these and yet not and there in lies the problem, there is no specific focus. At one point of time late in the film the director is busy portraying biblical similarities to just drive in the point that Al Pacino is indeed the devil but by then everyone knows that.
Nevertheless the devils advocate is watch able thanks to its elaborate set designs from the over the top finale to the water garden where Milton offers Lomax manhattan and more. Some of the one-liners that Milton shoots like 'Guilt is like a bag of fuc**in' bricks. All ya gotta do is set it down.' also keep you occupied.
With an anti climax that most mid nineties movies usually had, the devils advocate will just be remembered as another one of those idea movies where in some out of work scriptwriter decided to write a movie plot after reading the title phrase somewhere.
Recommended for a no brainer 'god fearing' Friday night at home.