Home/Episodes/The Devil's Advocate
‘The Devil’s Advocate’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan
July 25, 2023 · The Devil's Advocate (1997) · Drama · Fantasy · Mystery · 1:49:34 · ▶ Listen on Spotify
Categories
Most Rewatchable Scene
Van LathanThe opening scene (Keanu's cross-examination of the little girl in the pedophile trial)▶ 38:40
Big Kahuna Burger Award
Van LathanThe scene where she's painting her house and eating what looks like a four-piece from Popeye's, taking a whole breast and putting it in her mouth▶ 1:00:28
Den of Thieves Benihana Award
Bill SimmonsSuggests multiple New York locations including the Trump apartment and the roof, with slight preference for the roof as 'probably the coolest one'▶ 1:02:01
Probably Unanswerable Questions
Chris RyanNo, Lomax is not a good lawyer - he's assisted by the devil at every point and never shows brilliance on his own▶ 1:16:35
Van LathanNo, he's not a good lawyer on his own merit - he's only special in the first scene, then everything else was the devil's influence▶ 1:17:06
Casting What-Ifs
Bill SimmonsBrad Pitt — Would have liked to see the 1994 Joel Schumacher version with Brad Pitt; also thinks Johnny Depp would have been really good at this point in his career▶ 1:17:47
Van LathanBrad Pitt — Brad Pitt would have been better than Keanu and would have gotten nominated for Best Actor▶ 1:18:00
Overacting Award
Bill SimmonsCharlize Theron — Listed multiple options including Craig T. Nelson, Southern accent reporter, Keanu trying to dial it up, and Pacino for the whole movie, but agreed with Charlize▶ 1:18:58
Chris RyanCharlize Theron — Charlize Theron - demonstrated with quotes from her overacting scenes▶ 1:19:17
Half-Assed Internet Research
Bill SimmonsMultiple trivia facts including copyright lawsuit over sculpture, outdoor patio filming details, Roy Jones Jr. fight specifics, Connie Nielsen casting story, 57th Street clearing, and Rick Baker makeup effects work▶ 1:23:20
Van LathanTom Skerritt as recasting for Cullen and commentary on Roy Jones Jr. fight outcome▶ 1:23:02
Apex Mountain
Bill SimmonsRay Jones Jr. — No actors from this movie; Ray Jones Jr. at height of powers; boning assistant while family gets murdered; Charlize Theron eating chicken▶ 1:25:42
Picking Nits
Bill SimmonsKeanu should go home more often to visit his mother, and it's weird when Keanu calls Pacino 'dad' at the end▶ 1:28:20
Chris RyanLarry the journalist doesn't wash his hands after urinating in both the fantasy and reality versions, and the prosecutor randomly throws his glasses on Keanu's table in the courtroom scene▶ 1:30:20
Van LathanThe mother's behavior after having sex with the devil doesn't change - she just goes back to church like nothing happened, and there are unanswerable questions about whether she knows it was the devil▶ 1:28:24
Is This Movie Better With
Chris RyanWayne Jenkins - creates detailed scenario of Wayne in Milton's office saying lines about Kevin being Prince of Darkness and referencing his complicated family situation▶ 1:39:13
Coach Finstock Life Lesson
Bill SimmonsFree will - stop blaming other people, it's all your choice, and don't ignore your wife▶ 1:47:36
Van LathanKeep the wife happy - happy wife, happy life, or else you'll have to have sex with your sister▶ 1:47:51
Movies Referenced (49)
| Title (year) | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carrie (1976) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 14 | Chris Ryan, Van Lathan, Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:48:56 |
| Rosemary's Baby (1968) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | ▶ 22:35 |
| Brazil (1985) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Van Lathan, Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons | ▶ 56:59 |
| Good Time (2017) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons | ▶ 12:06 |
| Jack and Jill (2011) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 33:03 |
| John Wick (2014) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Van Lathan, Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:13:08 |
| Mystic River (2003) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Van Lathan | ▶ 53:41 |
| Point Break (1991) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Van Lathan, Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:15:08 |
| Primal Fear (1996) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Chris Ryan | ▶ 19:41 |
| Smile (2022) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Chris Ryan, Van Lathan | ▶ 1:07:15 |
| The Judge (2014) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Van Lathan, Chris Ryan | ▶ 1:27:50 |
| Unstoppable (2010) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Van Lathan | ▶ 1:24:45 |
Directors Referenced (7)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taylor Hackford | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 8 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Chris Ryan | ▶ 9:48 | |
| Iyi Tubi | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | Ex Machina, World War Z | ▶ 1:09:55 |
| Joel Schumacher | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | The Phantom of the Opera, 8MM | ▶ 1:17:43 |
| Sean Penn | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Van Lathan, Bill Simmons | Mystic River, 21 Grams, Dead Man Walking | ▶ 53:53 |
| Tom Brady | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | The Hot Chick | ▶ 13:28 |
| Anthony D. Syracuse | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:33:15 | |
| Howard Hughes | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:30:52 |
Actors Referenced (66)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Al Pacino | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 57 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Van Lathan | Dog Day Afternoon, The Godfather | ▶ 2:08 |
| Keanu Reeves | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 37 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Chris Ryan | The Matrix, Speed, Point Break | ▶ 2:04 |
| Charlize Theron | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 20 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Chris Ryan | Mad Max: Fury Road | ▶ 6:04 |
| Donald Trump | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 17 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Van Lathan | Home Alone 2: Lost in New York | ▶ 14:46 |
| Van Lathan Jr. | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 12 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | ▶ 1:31 | |
| Carrie Fisher | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 11 | Chris Ryan, Van Lathan, Bill Simmons | Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi | ▶ 1:48:56 |
| Michael Jordan | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 11 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Chris Ryan | Space Jam, He Got Game | ▶ 46:52 |
| Delroy Lindo | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 9 | Van Lathan, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | Sinners, Get Shorty | ▶ 48:20 |
| Bill Belichick | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 8 | Van Lathan, Bill Simmons | ▶ 13:24 | |
| Jack Nicholson | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | Chinatown, As Good as It Gets, The Departed | ▶ 33:03 |
| Jeffrey Jones | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | Amadeus, Howard the Duck, The Hunt for Red October | ▶ 42:10 |
| Zazie Beetz | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Van Lathan | Joker, Deadpool 2 | ▶ 1:36:00 |
Writers Referenced (5)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tony Gilroy | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 8 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | Michael Clayton, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story | ▶ 7:24 |
| John Milton | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Van Lathan | ▶ 18:06 | |
| Danny McBride | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Underworld | ▶ 58:12 |
| Roger Ebert | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 33:22 | |
| Taylor Worst | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:00:56 |
Cinematographers Referenced (2)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kevin Hall | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons | Walking Tall, To All the Boys I've Loved Before | ▶ 10:04 |
| Jesse Moyes | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Chris Ryan, Van Lathan | The Great Gatsby | ▶ 48:18 |