Devil's Advocate - 1997
Kevin Lomax (Keanu Reeves), a defense attorney from Gainesville, Florida, has never lost a case. He defends a schoolteacher, Lloyd Gettys (Chris Bauer), against a charge of child molestation. Kevin learns his client is guilty, and a reporter tells him a guilty verdict is inevitable. Through a harsh cross-examination, Kevin destroys the victim's credibility, securing a Not Guilty verdict. A representative of New York City law firm Milton, Chadwick & Waters offers Kevin a large sum of money to help with a jury selection.
After the jury delivers a Not Guilty verdict, John Milton (Al Pacino) offers him a large salary and an upscale apartment if he joins the firm. Despite warnings from his Evangelical Christian mother Alice (Judith Ivey) about Big City life, Kevin accepts the job and moves with wife Mary Ann (Charlize Theron) to Manhattan. He spends more time on cases at work, leaving Mary Ann feeling isolated. Kevin's mother visits New York and suggests they both return to Gainesville. He refuses.
Alice reveals that Milton is Kevin's father. Kevin leaves the hospital to confront Milton, who admits to raping Mary Ann. Kevin fires a pistol into Milton's chest, but the bullets are ineffective. Kevin realizes Milton is Satan. Kevin blames Milton for everything that happened, but Milton explains that he merely "set the stage" and that Kevin could have left at any time. Kevin realizes he always wanted to win, no matter the cost. Milton tells Kevin that he wants Kevin and Christabella, Kevin's half-sister, to conceive a child: the Antichrist.
Kevin rejects his heritage, citing free will, and shoots himself in the head. Kevin finds himself at the recess of the Gettys trial. Kevin announces that he cannot represent his client despite the threat of being disbarred. The reporter pleads for an interview, promising to make Kevin a star for his moral decision. Encouraged by Mary Ann, Kevin agrees. After they leave, the reporter transforms into Milton. Breaking the fourth wall, he says, "Vanity. Definitely my favorite sin."
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