The Devil’s Advocate (1997) – The Best Movie You Never Saw

Keanu Reeves Week continues here on JoBlo Videos with the latest edition of The Best Movie You Never Saw, focusing in the 1997 horror drama, The Devil’s Advocate! Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven. Those iconic words come from John Milton’s classic work Paradise Lost. Milton also happens to be the name of Al Pacino’s character in 1997’s horror drama, The Devil’s Advocate. Directed by Taylor Hackford, The Devil’s Advocate is one of the most underrated films in the careers of Pacino and Keanu Reeves as well as an early treat in the careers of both Charlize Theron and Connie Nielsen. A modest box office hit grossing $153 million against a $53 million budget, coming in second during its opening weekend to I Know What You Did Last Summer. The Devil’s Advocate holds a mediocre 63% on Rotten Tomatoes yet consistently ranks as one of the best performances in Al Pacino’s illustrious career.

Despite the film’s cult status, it’s often neglected when discussed in the context of Al Pacino or Keanu Reeves’ careers, or as an important stepping stone to the big time for Charlize Theron. That’s why The Devil’s Advocate is this week’s Best Movie You Never Saw!

In this edition, we go into the film’s origins, with it being based on a book by Andrew Neiderman. Before it went into production, the movie came very close to being filmed by the late Joel Schumacher with Brad Pitt in the role Keanu Reeves finally ended up playing. Al Pacino was largely reluctant to take on the devilish lead, with Reeves eventually giving up part of his salary to make the deal go through. The result is a terrific film that stands the test of time.

Do you remember The Devil’s Advocate? Does it hold up twenty four years later? Let us know in the comments! 

Also make sure to check out our other Keanu Reeves Week videos below!