The Devil's Advocate

Director: Taylor Hackford
Year Released: 1997
Rating: 2.5

Ethically-challenged attorney Kevin Lomax (Keanu Reeves), along with his wife Mary Ann (Charlize Theron), are offered a chance to move to New York City (from Gainsville, Florida) so he can work for John Milton (Al Pacino), who runs a major law firm - initially things seem rather ordinary, but over time they start having hallucinations, the office is investigated by the Feds and Mr. Milton may just be the type to make holy water boil with a touch.  The cast helps improve a heavy-handed storyline that becomes more flamboyant and hysterical ("They took my ovaries!") the longer it goes on: Pacino savors every second to play the Prince of Darkness, while Reeves' character, despite being skilled in a courtroom, is a little oblivious outside of it.  The "twist" at the conclusion takes a good deal of fun out of the theatrics that preceded it: screenwriters Tony Gilroy and Jonathan Lemkin (who adapted the book by Andrew Neiderman) should have known better.