The Devil's Advocate

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The Devil's Advocate

R

Released Oct 17, 1997

2h 24m

Mystery & Thriller

Fantasy

Horror

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

63%

Tomatometer

62 Reviews

80%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

Aspiring Florida defense lawyer Kevin Lomax (Keanu Reeves) accepts a high-powered position at a New York law firm headed by legal shark John Milton (Al Pacino). As Kevin moves up in the firm's ranks, his wife, Mary Ann (Charlize Theron), has several frightening, mystical experiences that begin to warp her sense of reality. With the stakes getting higher with each case, Kevin quickly learns that his mentor is planning a far greater evil than simply winning without scruples.

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Critics Consensus

Though it is ultimately somewhat undone by its own lofty ambitions, The Devil's Advocate is a mostly effective blend of supernatural thrills and character exploration.

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Michael Bodey

The Age (Australia)

Devil's Advocate possesses such assets and problems that many will be divided in whether to applaud it for its witless audacity or chastise it for its contemptuous treatment of its audience.

Rated: 1.5/5

Aug 6, 2024

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Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

At half its present length it might make an OK midnight camp item.

Aug 10, 2020

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Paul Tatara

CNN.com

You don't care about any of the characters, so there's no fear of something nasty happening to them, and, with the exception of Pacino (who plays the devil himself), it's terribly miscast.

Aug 10, 2020

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Tom Ryan

The Sunday Age

Helped by some very snappy dialogue, Pacino makes The Devil's Advocate his own.

Rated: 3/4

Aug 6, 2024

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Patrick Cavanaugh

The Wolfman Cometh

Self-indulgent and overlong, it suffers largely due to Reeves having to carry the narrative momentum. Pacino is clearly having an absolute blast, but he seems to be in an entirely different movie from the rest of the cast.

Rated: 2/5

Sep 20, 2023

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Outrageously entertaining.

Rated: 3/4

May 24, 2023

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Selle O

I love this movie! It's a great movie where it basically teaches you a lesson. Great acting from Keanu and Charlize Theron. They also have great chemistry together. Al Pacino does overact in this film but he was cast well to play Satan.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/01/25

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Mo'men I

You're gonna love this movie if you're a narcissist or a psychopath. I've never been clicking forward in a movie to reach the end so bad till I watched this movie. It's a waste of 2 hours.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

01/19/25

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Max W

wow this was insane. Al Pacino is great and Keanu Reeves was also extremely charismatic

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/09/25

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Charlie W

This is one of my favorite comfort food guilty pleasures, best watched while eating a bowl of Kraft Mac & Cheese while drinking a PBR tall boy. Al Pacino is the perfect devil, and Keanu Reeves and Charlize Theron are first-class eye candy. The devil's soliloquy is out of this world (pardon the pun), and the tagline -- "Vanity, it's my favorite sin" -- is simultaneously profound and amusing. I watch this movie about every two or three years, and love it each time.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/06/25

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To F

Que excelente combinación de dos grandes actores! La simpaticidad de Keanu Reeves y el carisma y autenticidad de Al Pacino. La historia es tan buena por todos los elementos que combina, lo real y lo que menciona del catolicismo.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

11/04/24

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J L

One of my favorites. Spiritual principles interwoven into a story with not only the star power to back it up but an excellent script. The age old truths that "the love of money is the root of all evil" is prevalent as well as "pride cometh before a fall". Ms. Theron was incredible in this role. Money and power cannot buy you love, contrary to the assertions of Mr. Pacino, who played a great devil (silly at times, but well worth the watch). Also highlights our legal system....at what price do you pay to get your guilty client exonerated? Great film.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/23/24

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Taylor Hackford

Director

Keanu Reeves

Kevin Lomax

Al Pacino

John Milton

Charlize Theron

Mary Ann Lomax

Jeffrey Jones

Eddie Barzoon

Judith Ivey

Mrs. Alice Lomax

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Synopsis

Aspiring Florida defense lawyer Kevin Lomax (Keanu Reeves) accepts a high-powered position at a New York law firm headed by legal shark John Milton (Al Pacino). As Kevin moves up in the firm's ranks, his wife, Mary Ann (Charlize Theron), has several frightening, mystical experiences that begin to warp her sense of reality. With the stakes getting higher with each case, Kevin quickly learns that his mentor is planning a far greater evil than simply winning without scruples.

Director: Taylor Hackford
Producer: Arnold Kopelson, Anne Kopelson, Arnon Milchan
Screenwriter: Andrew Neiderman, Jonathan Lemkin, Tony Gilroy
Distributor: Warner Home Vídeo, Warner Bros.
Production Co: Warner Brothers, Kopelson Entertainment, New Regency Pictures
Rating: R
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Fantasy, Horror
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 17, 1997, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 15, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA): $61.0M
Runtime: 2h 24m
Sound Mix: SDDS, Surround, DTS, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: 35mm, Scope (2.35:1)

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