The Devil’s Advocate (1997)
Director(s): Taylor Hackford
Writer(s): Andrew Neiderman, Jonathan Lemkin, Tony Gilroy
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Al Pacino, Charlize Theron
Rumor has it that Keanu Reeves took a significant pay cut to star in The Devil’s Advocate in order to work with the great, Al Pacino. That right there tells you all you need to know about this gem of a flick.
It’s interesting how a horror movie could have such iconic star power but gets lost in the ether of time since all the stars from the film went on to have even more classics added to their resumes. When you hear the name Keanu Reeves, you think of iconic series like The Matrix, John Wick, etc. (not even bothering with Pacino because he was iconic WAY before this move) but that’s the MAGIC of this FearTASTIC vault my friends, we remind you of the treasures in the macabre world that you may have forgotten and bring them to the bloody forefront.
Although it would be the easy way out to say that this movie was driven by the performances, it is worth noting that the story lends itself well to depending on the actors to make the relevance of this cautionary tale more prevalent. This is one of those flicks that holds a mirror up to society and although this flick was in the late 90s, it would more than be applicable to today’s more polarizing world. If anything, I’m surprised this movie hasn’t gotten the remake treatment yet (hope I didn’t just plant that seed in some executive’s head).
The movie follows Reeves who plays a lawyer with questionable ethics as he’s taken under the wing of a powerful law firm’s boss, played by Pacino. However, as the questionable cases and eerie situations progress, the true nature and intention of Pacino’s character comes out of the darkness all while Reeve’s character slowly loses his soul. The movie is a strong allegory to man’s true nature and the role of free will. Reeves does an incredible job of being a likeable person while making questionable decisions, which is much more impactful once his character starts realizing that aligning himself with Pacino is leading him down a dark path. However, Reeves remains conflicted throughout the movie since his soul is still tethered to his love, played by Charlize Theron. His constant compromises throughout the movie lead to his love both figuratively and literally deteriorating. All the while you have Pacino’s character setting the stage for every decision which is epically revealed in the final act of the flick.
Pacino is a legend for a reason and It’s interesting because the stereotype and caricature of the loud, scene-chewing Pacino-isms that are often imitated were in full force in this movie. He went from playing soft-spoken but intense characters as seen in the Godfather movies, to exaggerated versions of expressively loud and more charismatic characters. Some say that transition started with Scarface or Scent of a Woman, but this flick would definitely make the super cut of the Pacino school of acting since as the villain of the movie, his speech on why he’s NOT a villain at all leaves you in awe of his acting prowess. As the title of the flick suggests, he is the Devil (no spoiler but come on now) but what makes his take on the Devil so iconic is his delivery of what the Devil’s role is in the world as he is seducing Reeve’s character to join his cause. Without spoiling the entire speech (because you should DEFINITELY check out this movie), the idea is that the Devil is merely setting stages and creating opportunities and it is our nature to want those sorts of victories and pleasures for ourselves because our gift of free will is what makes us humans special. Pacino’s enrages speech on why him and God are at opposite ends of the argument is both logical and compelling. A great antagonist is always the one that makes you think more than they make you mad and Pacino’s performance makes you feel like you too, along with Reeve’s character is slowly being seduced by the Devil. Pacino’s passion in the cause is done in such a way that makes you to start reflecting your own demons and why you make the decisions you make on a daily basis which is the foundation of any great movie but specifically remarkable for a horror flick.
This movie is more on the side of unsettling rather than scary in my opinion but along with the disturbing topics and visuals throughout the movie, it’s the kind of story that has you thinking for much longer after the credits roll. The ending itself is impactful enough to make most folks pensive at the very least and perhaps lead to a bit of self-reflection. One could make the argument that this movie is ultimately a fable about morality and free will and I wouldn’t argue against them…having said that, the first thing I think of when remembering this flick will always be Pacino losing his sh*t with his eyes wide and volume of his voice turned up to 11!
Life is FAR more interesting when we take interest in things that scare us.