The Devil’s Advocate (1997)
75%RT Audience Score: 80%
Awards & Nominations: 2 wins & 7 nominations
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
The Devil’s Advocate” is a movie that’s so bad, it’s good. With Al Pacino playing the devil himself, you know you’re in for a wild ride. Keanu Reeves tries his best, but let’s be real, he’s no match for Pacino’s over-the-top performance. The movie is a mix of supernatural horror and black comedy, and it’s hard to tell which one it’s trying to be. But that’s part of the fun. It’s a movie that’s so ridiculous, you can’t help but enjoy it. So grab some popcorn, turn off your brain, and enjoy the ride.
Production Company(ies)
Morgan Creek Entertainment, Davis-Films, August Entertainment,
Distributor
Warner Bros., Warner Home Vídeo
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
Trump Tower – 725 Fifth Avenue, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for sexuality, nudity, violence and language
Year of Release
1997
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:DTS Dolby Digital SDDS
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Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
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Runtime:2h 24m
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Language(s):English, German, Italian, Mandarin, Spanish
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Oct 17, 1997 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 1, 1998
Genre(s)
Fantasy/Horror
Keyword(s)
starring Keanu Reeves, Al Pacino, Charlize Theron, Jeffrey Jones, Judith Ivey, Connie Nielsen, directed by Taylor Hackford, written by Andrew Neiderman, Jonathan Lemkin, Tony Gilroy, Fantasy, Horror, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Jonathan Rosenbaum, Paul Tatara, Ann Hornaday, Owen Gleiberman, Todd McCarthy, Susan Stark, Adrian Turner, David Sterritt, Rob Vaux, Dennis Schwartz, Andrea Beach, produced by Anne Kopelson, Arnold Kopelson, Arnon Milchan, R-rated, supernatural, legal thriller, New York law firm, Florida defense lawyer, John Milton, Mary Ann Lomax, Eddie Barzoon, Mrs Alice Lomax, Christabella Andreoli, James Newton Howard, Dolby Digital, SDDS, Surround, DTS, Scope (2.35:1), 35mm, Warner Bros., Warner Home Vídeo
Worldwide gross: $152,944,660
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $285,101,214
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 530
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 31,090,645
US/Canada gross: $60,944,660
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $113,605,774
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 661
US/Canada opening weekend: $12,170,536
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $22,686,863
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 593
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $57,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $106,252,609
Production budget ranking: 376
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $57,217,030
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $121,631,574
ROI to date (est.): 74%
ROI ranking: 1,041
Al Pacino – John Milton
Charlize Theron – Mary Ann Lomax
Jeffrey Jones – Eddie Barzoon
Judith Ivey – Mrs. Alice Lomax
Connie Nielsen – Christabella Andreoli
Director – Taylor Hackford
Producers – Anne Kopelson, Arnold Kopelson, Arnon Milchan
Writers – Andrew Neiderman, Jonathan Lemkin, Tony Gilroy
Director(s)
Taylor Hackford
Writer(s)
Andrew Neiderman, Jonathan Lemkin, Tony Gilroy
Producer(s)
Anne Kopelson, Arnold Kopelson, Arnon Milchan
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
2 wins & 7 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (56) | Top Critics (18) | Fresh (35) | Rotten (21)
At half its present length it might make an OK midnight camp item.
August 10, 2020
Jonathan Rosenbaum
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
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.
August 10, 2020
Paul Tatara
CNN.com
TOP CRITIC
Pacino’s gleeful performance notwithstanding, “The Devil’s Advocate” descends into silly self-indulgence when it should have gone straight to hell.
August 10, 2020 | Rating: 1.5/4
Ann Hornaday
Baltimore Sun
TOP CRITIC
You go in expecting a brazenly hokey, in-your-face portrait of evil, and that, I’m happy to say, is just what you get.
September 7, 2011 | Rating: B
Owen Gleiberman
Entertainment Weekly
TOP CRITIC
A fairly entertaining supernatural potboiler that finally bubbles over with a nearly operatic sense of absurdity and excess.
July 6, 2010
Todd McCarthy
Variety
TOP CRITIC
October 18, 2008 | Rating: 1/4
Susan Stark
Detroit News
TOP CRITIC
A movie that sways unsteadily between a debate over good and evil and a half-successful attempt at black comedy.
August 10, 2020 | Rating: 2/5
Adrian Turner
Radio Times
Al Pacino and Keanu Reeves attack their roles with gusto.
March 28, 2019
David Sterritt
Christian Science Monitor
Critics called it out for its melodramatic tone, but the theatrics are far more feature than bug, and the participants seem just aware enough of the overheated material to wink without upending the whole apple cart.
August 9, 2017
Rob Vaux
Cinema-stache
Couldn’t be more ridiculous.
March 21, 2017 | Rating: C+
Dennis Schwartz
Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews
Violence, sex, profanity dominate graphic temptation tale.
July 12, 2016 | Rating: 3/5
Andrea Beach
Common Sense Media
Far too bland and mediocre to really pull off such heavy handed themes…
October 17, 2012
Felix Vasquez Jr.
Cinema Crazed…
Plot
Kevin Lomax, a ruthless young Florida attorney who never lost a case, is recruited by the most powerful law firm in the world. In spite of his mother’s disagreement (she compares New York City to Babylon), he accepts the offer and the money that comes along. But soon, his wife starts feeling homesick and seeing devilish apparitions. However, Kevin is sinking in his new cases and pays less and less attention to his wife. His boss and mentor, John Milton, seems to always know how to overcome every problem and that just freaks out Kevin.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The Devil’s Advocate features a standout performance from Al Pacino as the devil himself.
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