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Post by kolchak92 on Jun 19, 2021 17:39:16 GMT
What are your thoughts on this film?
Pacino really lets loose with his over-the-top hamminess here. He makes Jack's devil in The Witches of Eastwick seem subtle by comparison.
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Post by Captain Spencer on Jun 19, 2021 17:56:54 GMT
This is copied and pasted from a previous review I did:
"Let me tell you about New York. Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great. It has become a dwelling place of demons."
That quote perfectly sets the tone for things that are to come in this horror drama. It's John Grisham meets Rosemary's Baby, in which an egotistical small-time Florida lawyer is recruited by a major Manhattan law firm. Turns out the head of the firm is none other than Satan himself, and he has big plans for his young protege.
This lavish and handsome production effectively blends a mixture of practical effects with some CGI, and has the good sense not to overdo it. It's mostly plot driven and concentrates on certain dramatic aspects, especially when it focuses on the corruption and lack of scruples of law practice. This is the first time that Taylor Hackford directed a film with horror elements, he does a competent job on handling the scare scenes with great intensity.
Al Pacino delivers a magnificent performance as always, and he seems to be having a hell of a lot of fun playing Lucifer. But the other acting honor goes to the gorgeous Charlize Theron who skillfully plays the wife who starts off as happy-go-lucky, then gradually slips into the brink of madness. Keanu Reeves does a fine job as the ambitious young lawyer, but is easily outshined by Pacino and Theron.
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Post by lowtacks86 on Jun 19, 2021 18:01:03 GMT
"Pacino really lets loose with his over-the-top hamminess here"
So pretty much every Pacino film since "Scarface"? He was such a more subtled, refrained actor in the Godfather films, I dunno why he changed so much after that. Even in Godfather 3 he still hams it up a bit:
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Post by jcush on Jun 19, 2021 18:12:34 GMT
I'm a fan. I like the story and it has a nice atmosphere to it. Keanu is solid, Pacino is a lot of fun, and Theron is the MVP.
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Post by ck100 on Jun 19, 2021 18:15:53 GMT
Why is it when an actor plays the devil they always play the character in such a hammy, over the top way? Aren't they supposed to be scary and not goofy?
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Post by Prime etc. on Jun 19, 2021 18:35:37 GMT
I like the scene where Pacino stares at the gang banger on the subway and then tells him what to expect when he gets home.
That's true about Pacino.
He used to be so subtle.
And he became over the top in everything.
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Post by politicidal on Jun 19, 2021 18:41:17 GMT
It’s a pretty wacky setup even for a supernatural thriller. But it strangely works. I think it helps that the movie lends itself to some cake and eating it too by being so sleazy and trashy, but still letting there be *some* kind of message near the end.
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Downey
Junior Member
@hunter
Posts: 2,329
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Post by Downey on Jun 19, 2021 18:45:53 GMT
"Pacino really lets loose with his over-the-top hamminess here" So pretty much every Pacino film since "Scarface"? He was such a more subtled, refrained actor in the Godfather films, I dunno why he changed so much after that. Even in Godfather 3 he still hams it up a bit: Don't tell me you have a problem with Al Pacino too? What kind of monster are you? |
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Post by ck100 on Jun 19, 2021 18:54:36 GMT
Leonard Maltin Movie Guide Review:
The Devil's Advocate (1997) - 3 out of 4 stars
"Wild, over-the-top movie about a young hotshot lawyer from Florida who's recruited to join a sleek N.Y.C. firm run by a charming megalomaniac (Pacino) who earmarks the newcomer for Big Things. But there are devilish hints that all is not right. Reeves is completely believable, and Pacino gives a delicious, pull-out-the-stops performance as his manipulative mentor. The film goes on too long, but it's spiked with arresting scenes and fine performances. Great showcase, too, for Theron as Reeves' impressionable wife. Delroy Lindo appears unbilled. Panavision."
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Post by moviemouth on Jun 19, 2021 19:33:41 GMT
"Pacino really lets loose with his over-the-top hamminess here" So pretty much every Pacino film since "Scarface"? He was such a more subtled, refrained actor in the Godfather films, I dunno why he changed so much after that. Even in Godfather 3 he still hams it up a bit: Insomnia, Manglehorn, Frankie and Johnny, Paterno and The Insider are exceptions. I think there are a few more too.
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Post by moviemouth on Jun 19, 2021 19:39:16 GMT
It has a good idea, but I don't think the movie handles it all that well. I also think this is one of Pacino's most inconsistent performances. Sometimes he is scary and sometimes he is a bit too hammy. It's a entertaining performance all the way through, but some of his more OTT stuff takes me out of the movie. The movie itself is also tonally inconsistent and ends up feeling more silly than it should. I think it needed more tweaking in the writing, a different lead actor (Keanu Reeves isn't bad, he is just very miscast imo) and a more talented director. Taylor Hackford is a solid director, but I think he was wrong for this movie. Excellent performance from Charlize Theron and the church scene is one of the best scenes in the movie that really achieves the right effect. The movie does have more positives than negatives, but overall it doesn't work for me. The very last scene is terrific though - "Vanity, definitely my favorite sin," followed perfectly by Painted Black by the Rolling Stones.
6.5/10
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Post by moviemouth on Jun 19, 2021 20:05:56 GMT
Why is it when an actor plays the devil they always play the character in such a hammy, over the top way? Aren't they supposed to be scary and not goofy? I disagree with that. There are plenty of portrayals of the devil that are scary and more subtle and some that are both very creepy and OTT. Walter Huston in The Devil and Daniel Webster is probably my favorite movie version of Satan, because he perfectly combines both. I have always seen Satan as a playful but terrifying trickster and there are many cases where actors find the perfect balance of goofy and creepy. Robert DeNiro in Angel Heart is one of the more subtle portrayals of the character I have seen.
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Post by moviemouth on Jun 19, 2021 20:16:03 GMT
This is copied and pasted from a previous review I did: "Let me tell you about New York. Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great. It has become a dwelling place of demons."
That quote perfectly sets the tone for things that are to come in this horror drama. It's John Grisham meets Rosemary's Baby, in which an egotistical small-time Florida lawyer is recruited by a major Manhattan law firm. Turns out the head of the firm is none other than Satan himself, and he has big plans for his young protege. That is as good a way to describe it as any, I just don't think Taylor Hackford finds the right balance.
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Post by ck100 on Jun 19, 2021 20:17:15 GMT
Insomnia, Manglehorn, Frankie and Johnny, Paterno and The Insider are exceptions. I think there are a few more too. Carlito's Way.
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Post by moviemouth on Jun 19, 2021 20:19:29 GMT
Two Bits, You Don't know Jack and The Merchant of Venice are 3 more that come to mind.
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Post by Feologild Oakes on Jun 19, 2021 21:29:56 GMT
It was ok as far as i remember.
But i have only watched it once and it was not in this millennium.
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Post by petrolino on Jun 19, 2021 22:57:55 GMT
Great movie. I think Taylor Hackford's a fine director.
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