The Devil's Advocate (1997 film)
| The Devil's Advocate | |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Taylor Hackford |
| Produced by |
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| Screenplay by |
Jonathan Lemkin Tony Gilroy |
| Based on |
The Devil's Advocate by Andrew Neiderman |
| Starring | |
| Music by | James Newton Howard |
| Cinematography | Andrzej Bartkowiak |
| Edited by | Mark Warner |
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Production
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| Distributed by | Warner Bros. Pictures |
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Release date
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Running time
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144 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $57 million |
| Box office | $152,944,660 |
The Devil's Advocate (marketed as Devil's Advocate) is a 1997 American drama thriller film based on Andrew Neiderman's novel of the same name. It is directed by Taylor Hackford, and stars Keanu Reeves, Al Pacino and Charlize Theron.
The film's title is a reference to the commonly used phrase "devil's advocate", and Pacino's character is named after the author of Paradise Lost, John Milton. The movie has some minor allusions to Milton's epic, such as the famous quotation "Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven".
Kevin Lomax (Keanu Reeves), a defense attorney from Gainesville, Florida, has never lost a case. He defends a schoolteacher, Lloyd Gettys (Chris Bauer), against a charge of child molestation. Kevin believes his client is guilty, and a reporter tells him a guilty verdict is inevitable. However, through a harsh cross-examination, Kevin destroys the victim's credibility, securing a not guilty verdict.
A representative of a New York City law firm offers Kevin a large sum of money to help with a jury selection. After the jury delivers a not guilty verdict, the head of the firm, John Milton (Al Pacino), offers Kevin a large salary and an upscale apartment if he joins the firm. Kevin accepts the job, along with his wife Mary Ann (Charlize Theron) to stay in Manhattan. He is soon spending all his time at work, leaving Mary Ann feeling isolated. Kevin's mother, Alice (Judith Ivey), visits New York and suggests they both return home. He refuses.
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