The Devil's Advocate

The Devil's Advocate (marketed as Devil's Advocate) is a 1997 horror film based on a novel of the same name by Andrew Neiderman. 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 to serve in Heaven". Kevin Lomax, a defense attorney in Gainesville, Florida, has never lost a case. He defends a schoolteacher, Mr. Gettys, against a charge of child molestation. During the trial, Kevin realizes that his client is guilty, and a reporter tells him that a guilty verdict is all but inevitable. However, through a harsh cross-examination Kevin destroys the credibility of the victim, Barbara, and secures another not guilty verdict. As he celebrates, Kevin is approached by a representative of...