Movie · 1997 · Horror, Drama, Mystery · 2h 24m · R · English
Curator score: 5.1/10 (872K ratings)
The newest attorney at the world's most powerful law firm has never lost a case. But he's about to lose his soul.
Overview
Aspiring Florida defense lawyer Kevin Lomax accepts a job at a New York law firm. With the stakes getting higher every case, Kevin quickly learns that his boss has something far more evil planned.
Ratings
Curator score: 5.1/10
IMDb: 7.5/10
Letterboxd: 3.63/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 65%
Metacritic: 60
TMDB: 7.5/10
Director
Taylor Hackford
Production
Monarchy Enterprises B.V., Regency Enterprises, Kopelson Entertainment, New Regency Pictures, Taurus Film, Warner Bros. Pictures
Cast
Keanu Reeves, Al Pacino, Charlize Theron, Jeffrey Jones, Judith Ivey, Connie Nielsen, Craig T. Nelson, Tamara Tunie, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Debra Monk, Vyto Ruginis, Laura Harrington, Pamela Gray, George Wyner, Chris Bauer, Connie Embesi, Jonathan Cavallary, Heather Matarazzo, Murphy Guyer, Leo Burmester
Curator Review
Verdict
A glossy, over-the-top legal thriller that turns into a full-blooded Faustian melodrama. It’s uneven, but the movie’s pulpy confidence, New York nightmare atmosphere, and ferocious central performance make it a memorable watch for fans of stylish 90s genre cinema.
Best for
fans of campy prestige thrillers
viewers who like legal dramas with supernatural corruption
people seeking a big, scenery-chewing villain performance
90s studio horror-drama hybrids
Skip if
you want subtle horror
you dislike heightened, operatic acting
you prefer tightly restrained courtroom realism
you’re put off by sexualized, sensationalist storytelling
Overview
The Devil’s Advocate is one of those 90s studio films that feels both slick and unhinged. It starts as a career-rising legal drama, then steadily reveals itself as a seduction story about ambition, vanity, and moral surrender. The movie’s tone is lurid by design, and that excess is a big part of its appeal.
Worth noting
What really sells it is the contrast between the polished corporate nightmare and the increasingly grotesque supernatural undercurrent. The film leans hard into temptation, guilt, and the cost of winning, while also finding room for a grimy, urban sense of dread. It’s not subtle, but it is committed.
Bottom line
The cast helps enormously: the lead performance is intentionally slippery, and the antagonist is a full-throttle force of nature. If you enjoy movies that escalate from respectable to deranged without apology, this is a strong recommendation. If you want restraint or realism, it will probably feel like too much.
Top Letterboxd reviews
Keegan ✌🏻 (4★) · 7167 likes
"Where does he sleep?"
"Who said he sleeps?"
"Where does he fuck?"
Academy Award™ Winner, Al Pacino: "E V E R Y W H E R E!!!!!"
madelyn✨ (3.5★) · 5584 likes
this movie has everything:
-al pacino speaking like five different languages -al pacino doing a tango (and it's not scent of a woman)-evil titties -charlize theron's baby face-the last 30 minutes being al pacino taking the best of his performances in the 90s, stuffing them into one role, and going batshit crazy -goat sacrifice-keanu reeves trying his best -"...seven!" -al pacino in 2 inch boots, yet still managing to be a short king -(spoilers?) incest -al pacino's… more
adambolt (3.5★) · 4737 likes
all sex scenes from now on should have al pacino in the background cheering for the participants
lena (4★) · 4560 likes
if satan's son was from anywhere he would probably be from florida
maria (4★) · 4407 likes
me: :(
keanu reeves: *whispering "let's make a baby" in a weird southern accent*
me: :)
1993 · Drama, Mystery, Thriller · 2h 34m · R · Curator 4.3/10 (284.1K ratings) · Where to watch: fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, MGM Plus
Another sleek 90s legal thriller about success curdling into danger, with corporate power and moral compromise driving the suspense.
2013 · Crime, Drama, Comedy · 3h · R · Curator 7.9/10 (5.7M ratings) · Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, AMC+, Philo, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
Different genre, but a strong match for the intoxicating energy of excess, appetite, and self-destruction.