The Devil's Advocate (1997) - Taylor Hackford

Supernatural forces hover over the courtroom in this devilish drama adapted from the novel by Andrew Neiderman. Attorney Kevin Lomax (Keanu Reeves) doesn't heed the Bible-based warnings of his mother (Judith Ivey), who views New York City as "the dwelling place of demons." Instead, he leaves Gainesville, Florida, with his wife Mary Ann (Charlize Theron) to put his legalistic skills to the test at a leading Manhattan law firm run by John Milton (Al Pacino). It all goes smoothly – with Milton urging them to stay, putting Kevin on a $400-per-hour salary, and moving the couple into a luxurious apartment in his own building on Fifth Avenue – where Mary Ann falls under the influence of neighbor Jackie (Tamara Tunie). After Kevin defends a weird animal sacrificer (Delroy Lindo, uncredited), he moves up to an important case with an apparent murderer, real-estate tycoon Alexander Cullen (Craig T. Nelson). Ignored by Kevin, the troubled Mary Ann has some disturbing experiences, verging on the occult, while Kevin, at work, becomes attracted to redhead Christabella (Connie Neilsen). Dazzled by his entrance into paradise, Kevin doesn't grasp who handed him this Big-Apple success. Could it be…Satan? The film features demonic creatures by Rick Baker. Cameos (Senator Alfonse D'Amato, Don King, others) add to the ambiance of ambition and power in the canyons of Manhattan. (allmovie.com by Bhob Stewart)

Review:
Part John Grisham thriller and part Rosemary's Baby, Devil's Advocate is a sharp and compelling film that comes to life thanks to an energetic performance from Al Pacino. While most fictional films concerning temptation and religion are often inane and unrealistic, the playfully slick script by Tony Gilroy and Jonathan Lemkin makes this particular outing both thought-provoking and engaging. Keanu Reeves may be dwarfed by Pacino's acting skill, but he gives an astonishingly decent performance. Reeves is the straight man of the narrative, and proves that he can handle roles that require him to deliver dialogue (as opposed to his dismal performances in A Walk in the Clouds and Much Ado About Nothing). The film explores themes like temptation, sexual depravity, and vanity, while never allowing special effects to become the main focus of the story, and the fantastical climax, set to the Frank Sinatra version of "It Happened in Monterey" is part camp, part thriller, and part soap opera. It is the jolting finale to a surreal and enticing film that takes chances and truly raises some hell. (allmovie.com by Adam Goldberg)