When we think of Keanu Reeves, we probably think of the Matrix or John Wick movies. One cult classic on Netflix is just too good to pass up, though. As of this month, the 1997 supernatural thriller The Devil’s Advocate is officially streaming on Netflix. Not only is Keanu Reeves in it, but so is Al Pacino.
Campy, One-of-a-kind, and Bizarre: ‘The Devil’s Advocate’ Is All of These Things, and More
The movie is exactly what it sounds like. The name The Devil’s Advocate is a little too on the nose, as Keanu Reeves literally plays as the Devil’s lawyer. As you can probably imagine, this film is not nuanced. At all. That’s part of the appeal, though. Reeves’ character, Kevin Lomax, is a Florida lawyer who has supposedly never lost a case. He gets recruited to work at a law firm in NYC. This is where we meet Al Pacino’s character, the Devil. Otherwise known as John Milton, Pacino’s character is the owner of the law firm.
To say the least, the film devolves into all kinds of gratuitous scenes. The movie comes across as very campy and almost like a fever dream. That’s because there’s just so much going on throughout the whole film. This legal/supernatural thriller brings in so many other elements that it’s almost like a whirlwind from start to finish. It’s hard to describe all of the debaucheries that happen. You’ll just have to watch the film for yourself.
We almost never got to see the insanity that is The Devil’s Advocate. Al Pacino turned down the role three times before accepting, and Keanu Reeve’s part was originally going to be played by Brad Pitt. We’re glad both of the actors came around.
Keanu Reeves Had Tried All Kinds Of Genres Before Settling Into Action Roles
The 90s were a perfect time for Reeves and Pacino to do a film together. They both had been on wildly different career paths yet everything aligned perfectly for them to collaborate on the thriller. For Pacino, he was riding the waves of newfound popularity. He had been extremely popular in the 70s, but interest in the actor dropped severely in the 80s. The 90s were his comeback period, especially considering how many legal thrillers were being made.
For Reeves, it was the opposite. By that point, he had acted in just about every genre there was. He was trying to find his niche. He had broken through with his roles in Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure and Speed, but many were still on the fence about him. His charisma and good looks had helped him become famous. Acting-wise, many thought he was too stiff.
After experimenting with family comedies and science fiction, Reeves finally settled into action films. That was clearly the right decision, as his John Wick series continues to do well. Pre-production has already started on the fifth installment of the series.
