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

Bill SimmonsKeanu meets Pacino on the outdoor water roof▶ 36:36
Van LathanThe opening scene (Keanu's cross-examination of the little girl in the pedophile trial)▶ 38:40

Big Kahuna Burger Award

Bill SimmonsThe voodoo meat scene▶ 59:55
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

Great Shot Gordo Award

Bill Simmonsthe empty Fifth Avenue or whatever it's supposed to be▶ 1:02:20
Chris Ryanthe empty Fifth Avenue or whatever it's supposed to be▶ 1:02:05
Van Lathanthe empty Fifth Avenue or whatever it's supposed to be▶ 1:02:09

What's Aged the Worst

Bill SimmonsJust seeing Jeffrey Jones in a movie has aged the worst▶ 1:08:20

Is There a Better Title?

Bill SimmonsNo - keeps original title, suggests 'Paradise Lost' as alternative▶ 1:09:41
Chris RyanLast Defense - to hide the twist and market it differently▶ 1:10:06
Van LathanDamn, Yo Daddy is the Devil - as a Tubi streaming title▶ 1:10:11

Best Quote

Bill SimmonsI'm the hand up Mona Lisa skirt. I'm a surprise. They don't see me coming.▶ 1:10:26
Van LathanI'm the hand up Mona Lisa skirt. I'm a surprise. They don't see me coming.▶ 1:10:42

Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award

Bill SimmonsKeanu is the greatest bad actor of the last 35 years▶ 1:12:47

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 PittWould 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 PittBrad Pitt would have been better than Keanu and would have gotten nominated for Best Actor▶ 1:18:00

Overacting Award

Bill SimmonsCharlize TheronListed 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 TheronCharlize 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
Chris RyanNobody should be recast as Milton, rejected Redford rumors▶ 1:23:21
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
Chris RyanSatan/the devil on film▶ 1:25:45
Van LathanSatan/the devil on film - a person playing Satan▶ 1:25:50

Racehorse Name Award

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

Bill SimmonsWayne Jenkins - agrees that Wayne wins again after Chris Ryan's scenario▶ 1:39:41
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

Best Double Feature

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

Who Won the Movie

Bill SimmonsAl PacinoAl Pacino (not his teeth, but the rest of Al Pacino)▶ 1:47:59

Movies Referenced (49)

Title (year)LinksMentionsMentioned byFirst
Carrie (1976)IMDb ↗Lb ↗14Chris Ryan, Van Lathan, Bill Simmons▶ 1:48:56
Rosemary's Baby (1968)IMDb ↗Lb ↗6Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons, Van Lathan▶ 22:35
Brazil (1985)IMDb ↗Lb ↗4Van Lathan, Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 56:59
Good Time (2017)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 12:06
Jack and Jill (2011)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bill Simmons▶ 33:03
John Wick (2014)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Van Lathan, Bill Simmons▶ 1:13:08
Mystic River (2003)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Van Lathan▶ 53:41
Point Break (1991)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Van Lathan, Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 1:15:08
Primal Fear (1996)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Chris Ryan▶ 19:41
Smile (2022)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Chris Ryan, Van Lathan▶ 1:07:15
The Judge (2014)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Van Lathan, Chris Ryan▶ 1:27:50
Unstoppable (2010)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Van Lathan▶ 1:24:45

Directors Referenced (7)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
Taylor HackfordIMDb ↗Lb ↗8Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Chris Ryan▶ 9:48
Iyi TubiIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill Simmons, Van LathanEx Machina, World War Z▶ 1:09:55
Joel SchumacherIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill SimmonsThe Phantom of the Opera, 8MM▶ 1:17:43
Sean PennIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Van Lathan, Bill SimmonsMystic River, 21 Grams, Dead Man Walking▶ 53:53
Tom BradyIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill Simmons, Van LathanThe Hot Chick▶ 13:28
Anthony D. SyracuseIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill Simmons▶ 1:33:15
Howard HughesIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill Simmons▶ 1:30:52

Actors Referenced (66)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
Al PacinoIMDb ↗Lb ↗57Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Van LathanDog Day Afternoon, The Godfather▶ 2:08
Keanu ReevesIMDb ↗Lb ↗37Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Chris RyanThe Matrix, Speed, Point Break▶ 2:04
Charlize TheronIMDb ↗Lb ↗20Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Chris RyanMad Max: Fury Road▶ 6:04
Donald TrumpIMDb ↗Lb ↗17Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Van LathanHome Alone 2: Lost in New York▶ 14:46
Van Lathan Jr.IMDb ↗Lb ↗12Bill Simmons, Van Lathan▶ 1:31
Carrie FisherIMDb ↗Lb ↗11Chris Ryan, Van Lathan, Bill SimmonsStar Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi▶ 1:48:56
Michael JordanIMDb ↗Lb ↗11Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Chris RyanSpace Jam, He Got Game▶ 46:52
Delroy LindoIMDb ↗Lb ↗9Van Lathan, Bill Simmons, Chris RyanSinners, Get Shorty▶ 48:20
Bill BelichickIMDb ↗Lb ↗8Van Lathan, Bill Simmons▶ 13:24
Jack NicholsonIMDb ↗Lb ↗7Bill Simmons, Van LathanChinatown, As Good as It Gets, The Departed▶ 33:03
Jeffrey JonesIMDb ↗Lb ↗6Bill Simmons, Van LathanAmadeus, Howard the Duck, The Hunt for Red October▶ 42:10
Zazie BeetzIMDb ↗Lb ↗6Van LathanJoker, Deadpool 2▶ 1:36:00

Writers Referenced (5)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
Tony GilroyIMDb ↗Lb ↗8Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons, Van LathanMichael Clayton, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story▶ 7:24
John MiltonIMDb ↗Lb ↗7Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Van Lathan▶ 18:06
Danny McBrideIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill SimmonsUnderworld▶ 58:12
Roger EbertIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill Simmons▶ 33:22
Taylor WorstIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill Simmons▶ 1:00:56

Cinematographers Referenced (2)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
Kevin HallIMDb ↗Lb ↗7Chris Ryan, Bill SimmonsWalking Tall, To All the Boys I've Loved Before▶ 10:04
Jesse MoyesIMDb ↗Lb ↗3Chris Ryan, Van LathanThe Great Gatsby▶ 48:18