Devil's Advocate

Really solid movie.👍
I didn't have any clue what the plot was actually about—just went in based on the title—but the second Al Pacino showed up (watching Keanu Reeves from the sidelines), I knew exactly who he was playing. He is just incredible; such a convincing actor. A perfect ten for me!👍
Thoughts?

I’ve sat through this one three times now, and it’s easily climbed into my list of all-time favorites.
To be honest, I wasn't nearly as blown away by Keanu Reeves as I was by Al Pacino—not that I'm surprised, given he's my absolute favorite actor 😉.
Anyway, I'll just say it... the movie is genuinely incredible.

Honestly, it could’ve been way better... Al Pacino is a total genius, but Keanu Reeves is just mediocre at best, and the movie itself? Nothing more than average, if you can even call it that...

but seriously, Pacino rules

If you don't already know Al Pacino as a massive movie star, you might think he’s overacting a bit... like those cheesy character tropes he does are getting kind of old. But honestly? That’s just his vibe, and we love it for what it is!
Keanu Reeves is hot as hell and, predictably, totally hollow. Like, there's absolutely nothing going on behind those eyes.
Little Charlize Theron really stepped up to make this flashy cocktail work. Her acting isn't exactly high art, but it's definitely catchy enough to keep pace with Al Pacino. She's cute.
The whole movie is just aggressive and weirdly hypnotic to watch.
I seriously don't get why the critics were so lukewarm about this thing?!
I mean, I guess we all got a little reminder that Hell never sleeps, right? 🙄 😉

The movie was alright, I guess. My only gripe is how incredibly lame it is that Pacino’s character is named John Milton. Did they really think they were being subtle by choosing a name that hints at his true identity? "Paradise Lost," anyone? Get it? Get it? Get it? I bet the screenwriter spent the next half hour patting himself on the back after coming up with that little stroke of genius.

It’s just as ridiculous as when a dead priest in "End of Days" is named none other than Thomas Aquinas. Please, spare me these mainstream Hollywood writers who desperately try to be clever.
I realize most people won't even notice those references, but that's exactly why these tropes feel even more obnoxious to me.

northernfalcon30 said:Well, I guess we really did get a lesson in how Hell never sleeps, huh!? 🙄 😉

Yeah, and it’s honestly pretty fascinating how they show him lurking behind things that seem incredibly positive—stuff like "business success," "massive wealth," "fame," or "prestige."
Personally, I see the relationship there as a simple logical implication, basically a mathematical "if A, then B" (=>) rather than an "if and only if" (<=>). What I mean is, while Hell often hides behind the mask of apparent good, that doesn't mean every instance of success, fame, status, or money has some underlying evil attached to it.😈 .
Let me break that down a bit...
A = Hell is behind all of that.
B = All of that looks amazing, attractive, and good.
-----------
ergo:
If A, then B.
If not B, then not A (Though, hmm... maybe that's not always strictly true... sometimes he might not even bother to camouflage himself at all...)
But NO: If B, then A

Hell isn't actually that black and white, right? 😉 It’s pretty unlikely that the Devil is gonna show up in our lives looking like some cartoon with horns, a tail, and hooves.
But the real Hell—if we even want to call it that—is hidden in how we perceive Goodness itself. Like, is everything that seems "good," honorable, or decent actually... good?
Take business success, for example. That's a pure value, right? But only until you start trampling over your principles, stepping on other people, and eventually, losing yourself. The irony is killer: we end up trashing our own values just to try and preserve them!
How many times have we done something terrible just because we loved someone?

It all comes down to the measure a person sets for themselves.
That's the whole "temptation" thing.
Hell stays low-key because he doesn't force anyone to mess up with aggressive tactics; he just finds those little weaknesses and nudges them in the right direction.
Man is the one at fault here. It's all his choice.

Really interesting take on the whole Devil topic, but presented the true American way, so even an idiot could grasp the point.

northernfalcon30 said:Hell isn't actually as pitch-black as people make it out to be, right? 😉It’s pretty unlikely that the devil is going to show up in our lives looking like a cartoon character with horns, a tail, and hooves, making him easy to spot.

Exactly. I mean, nobody is quite that dim-witted as to choose evil knowing full well it leads to their own ruin—nobody intentionally works against themselves. No, it all has to be wrapped up nicely so it can actually sell... and if the salesperson is significantly smarter than the buyer, you've got a guaranteed deal.

Take business success, for example—that's supposed to be a pure value, right? But it only stays that way until we start trampling over our principles, stepping on other people, and eventually, losing ourselves. The irony is, we end up crushing our own values just trying to preserve them!

I'm with you there. You definitely can't defend a value by violating other values; that’s a dead end if I ever saw one. And honestly, pitching "business success" as an absolute virtue is just a version of the American Dream used to brainwash anyone gullible enough to listen. To me, success is great, but the price you pay for it is what truly defines its worth.

It all comes down to the limits a person sets for themselves.
That's where the temptation lies.
Hell hides itself because he doesn't force people into mistakes through aggression; he just finds those existing weaknesses and nudges them in the right direction.
Ultimately, the individual is responsible. It's all their choice.

Of course—free will is humanity's greatest blessing and gift, but it's also the very thing that causes our downfall. It isn't a curse in and of itself, but rather something humans have turned it into.

What a fantastic movie! It actually managed to dodge those tired comparisons to Sermon & similar flicks. And honestly, I won't even get started on Pacino playing the role of the Devil! Just pure madness! That benevolent expression of his combined with those soulful, puppy-dog eyes adds such a brilliant layer to the whole thing. Bravo!

This is such a fantastic movie. It nails the religious perspective on Hell without falling into that boring, preachy trap that a lot of films in this genre tend to stumble into.
Al Pacino delivers some incredibly heavy lines at the end. Vanity—that’s my personal favorite sin. The real issue isn't just about chasing money or status; it's about the mindset behind it. It's about what a person is willing to sacrifice just to grab hold of power, reputation, or wealth. Honestly, the film does an amazing job showing how even our core societal values can be completely trampled in that pursuit.

Seriously, what kind of ancient relic did you guys pull out of the attic? What was actually playing on TV?!

boldeagle3 said:So, it’s not really about the money or the status itself, but rather the mindset—what someone is willing to sacrifice just to grab hold of power, reputation, or wealth.

I couldn't agree more! 👍
The absolute worst takeaway here would be thinking that money, fame, or success are inherently evil or a guaranteed ticket to ruin. Honestly, I’m convinced that if you have a good person in a position of power, they can do massive amounts of good. Having deep pockets can also be a tool for incredible positive change. At the end of the day, it's the individual—their choices, and we all know what kind of influences are out there—who decides whether to go down a dark path, regardless of how much fame or fortune they have.

northernfalcon30 said:Wait, how on earth did you pull a movie out of mothballs? Was it actually playing on TV?!

I wouldn't say that! But, hey, I guess digging it out from... the mothballs(!) makes it a decent flick! 😁 A solid watch! 😉

northernfalcon30 said:Wait, how on earth did you pull a movie out of thin air? What was even playing on TV?!

The magic of DivX, I guess...

Anyway, totally side note, but can we actually get our hands on 'warm summer rain'?!
I mean, I'm not completely wrong here—supposedly that movie is pretty life-changing too...🙄 😉

northernfalcon30 said:Changing the subject for a second—is there any way to get my hands on 'warm summer rain'...?
I mean, I’m not totally off base here; apparently, the movie is pretty life-changing too...🙄 😉

I have no clue which movie you're talking about... give me the actual title!
If you're into "inspiring" movies, though, you definitely need to check out Bruce Almighty (starring Jim Carrey). It has a totally different vibe (you know, Jim Carrey's style...) but if you ask me, it actually has some incredibly deep, profound moments. The main character is basically the opposite of the guy in Devil's Advocate—so you can probably guess how that goes...😉

northernfalcon30 said:Changing the subject for a second, is there any way to get my hands on 'warm summer rain'...?
I mean, I'm not totally off base here—apparently, that movie is pretty profound too...🙄 😉

Well, if you haven't seen Amelia, go watch that instead! It’s the quintessential "feel-good" flick. 😉 Though, I suppose the catch is that it's a foreign film!

Man, I'll get through all those recs eventually, thanks, seriously, thanks!🙂

Regarding that warm summer rain flick... I had this old friend who used to constantly obsess over it. He claimed it was impossible to find anywhere, and if I remember right, it’s some tragic romance about two young people... you know, all that "misunderstood" stuff, drugs, and their weird little isolated world where someone probably ends up dead or whatever... he wouldn't even talk about it, just seemed totally possessed by the thing...
In my desperate rush to finally see that masterpiece, years went by, and honestly, I think I might have outgrown it by now. I wouldn't exactly "bet my life on it" anymore..
Ahhh...

🙄

As far as Devil's Advocate goes, I honestly think the writers were just having a massive laugh at the expense of lawyers and their whole little world.😉

redgull44 said:As far as Devil's Advocate is concerned, I honestly think the writers were just having a massive laugh at the expense of lawyers and their entire little universe.😉

Well, if that's the case, why didn't they just set the whole story in some middle-of-nowhere sanitation department!😁 Picture this: Keanu Reeves is this eager, wide-eyed garbage man starting his very first night shift, and then you've got Al Pacino as the grizzled veteran colleague who specializes in cleaning up the really messy biohazards...😁