Devil's Advocate (1997)

 

If you want to talk about perfect casting, how about Al Pacino playing the devil? Robert DeNiro tried that as well in 'Angel Heart', but that didn't really work, because DeNiro - great though he may be - doesn't have that swagger to play the smirking lord of light. Pacino does and he does so with gusto in this film.

Sorry I gave it away in the first paragraph what the twist is. But honestly: there's little keeping this a secret from the viewer. Heck, his name in the film is even John Milton, so literary buffs already get it. 

That's the guy who wrote 'Paradise Lost', by the way.

Kevin Lomax is a young lawyer with an unbroken streak: he has never lost a single case, even defending the most horrid of people. His latest case is one of a paedophile who is guilty as heck, but Lomax manages to get him off the hook. When he, his wife and some friends party, Kevin is approached by a man from a massive lawfirm in New York, wanting to retain his services. When faced with the prospect of making big bucks, getting a huge appartment and working in New York instead of Gainesville, Florida, both Kevin and spouse Mary-Ann jump at the opportunity. 

Who wouldn't? 

Pretty soon, Kevin is absorbed in his work and Mary-Ann is starting to feel more and more isolated. Not only that, but Kevin gets tougher and tougher challenges defending people that are obviously guilty and who are some pretty nasty characters. With loads of money. His boss John Milton also starts to spend more and more time with Kevin. Meanwhile, Mary-Ann thinks she is seeing things, horrible things and she is driven slowly into madness. 

Things aren't looking good. And what is the deal with Christabella? And what is Kevin's mom hiding from him? 

You probably know anyway. But it is still a cool flick to see, because the buildup is so expertly done. The idea might be totally bonkers, but this is one of those instances where the acting saves the day. Especially Charlize Theron is great as Mary-Ann. She starts off all innocent and happy and slowly degenerates into a broken and scarred person, driven to madness by several events that don't appear planned but which are most definitely planned out from the start. Keanu Reeves is okay, but it feels as though he was still trying to find his footing with more dramatic roles and he unfortunately doesn't have the most expressive facial features out there. 

But the real showstopper here is Pacino, playing Milton with glee and gusto. He steals every scene he's in, whether he is being charming, devious or everything in the entire register. And you know what is the cherry on top? His (almost) monologue at the end where he goes all out and dials it up to eleven. I'm not exaggerating: that part of the film is so quotable and both spot on ànd hilariously over the top, it's the chef's kiss of larger-than-life theatrics.

I love it. 

So if you like your drama with supernatural elements thrown in and especially fun or great performances from the people involved, then this could very well be a film for you.