An incredible moral tale, powerful, engaging

Rating: 10/10 (8 October 2005)

This is an amazing films for many reasons. Fistly the amazing performance from Pacino. He brings an unashamed, manic, crazed, chain-smoking quality to the Devil, and his portrayal is completely believable. Surprisingly, I found Keanu Reeves' performance fine, despite having disliked him in other films - he does the job that needs to be done - an ambitious lawyer, who for some reason (is it just because of his skill?) has never lost a case. Within the first few minutes, he comes across a moral dilemma (whether to continue fending a maths teacher who he knows is guilty of harassing a teenage girl), and he basically says to himself (without speaking, he checks his teeth in the mirror, as if to tell himself, "look, I'm a layer, this is what I do - I'm going to defend him as best I can"). And wins the case. The story is an incredible moral tale, because in the end he does do the right thing, and defies the devil (although the closing shot is of Pacino and we know he might get to him again). Thoroughly enjoyable, striking, original film.