Spinning: Stay With You - Dreamz FM

I find it really weird that I've been seeing Charlize Theron all over the place nowadays - not a result of overexposure - rather due to pure coincidence. If you're not hiding in a hole, you would know that there's a new sci-fi movie, Aeon Flux - starring Charlize Theron - to be released sometime this December. So it wasn't surprising to find an article on her in my fave weekly mag 8 days. It was an article that possibly allowed me to know more about Ms Theron - the only role I'd saw her in was 'The Italian Job', I think. The same night I read that article, I saw a film on HBO starring Keanu Reeves, Al Pacino and Charlize Theron. So I watched. And 15 minutes into the film, I realised I'd stumbled upon the 1997 film 'The Devil's Advocate'. It's an amazing film which I never got to watch upon its release because I was too damn young. Spoilers abound in this post, so if you don't want to find out anything about the film without first watching it, don't read this post.

I found it most intriguing. Kevin Lomax (Keanu Reeves) is an attorney from the South who tries his luck at making it big in the Big Apple. Already married to a wife, Mary Ann Lomax, from the same hometown (Charlize Theron), he has a job at an oustanding law firm - at which he meets his boss John Milton (Al Pacino). What he doesn't know is that Milton is ... whaddya know - the devil himself.

A scenario that is stretched rather far, I know - but when you dig deeper, you realize that Milton and Lomax, and what happens to them throughout the course of the movie, are really representations in the real world, of Man's morality. The choice between good and bad - a theme that is omnipresent in the movie. What struck me the most was the scene where Lomax confronts Milton, after the demise of his wife. Oh. The demise of the wife - I must really touch on this. A bloody, shocking scene, in a literal sense. Mrs. Lomax, on the verge of total insanity thanks to Lomax's obsession with vanity/success, picked up a shard of glass from a broken mirror and jabbed it against her throat, sliding it across her neck. My jaw just dropped when I saw that.

Oops. Minor digression. Anyway - the scene where Lomax confronts Milton. Amazing, intelligent dialogue. Milton accused Lomax of having "loved someone else more than your wife - yourself." and therefore causing his own wife's demise. Milton, quite predictably since he was the devil, also continued to assault Lomax with other accusations - alleging that he'd only 'set the stage' and it was Lomax who destroyed himself. Lomax eventually got his own back by - major spoiler here - killing himself. That moment was so powerful, I don't know man I was just blown off my feet- or seat, since I was ogling the TV like no one's business. As to why killing himself would equate to Lomax 'getting his own back', I won't reveal it. That would be the greatest spoiler of all and I don't think I should spoil it :) The ending is at first perceived to be the usual good triumphing over evil - but later on we realize that it is a dark ending after all. Cleverly thought out I would say.

As for the acting - with a cast like Keanu Reeves, Al Pacino, and Charlize Theron - you can expect great stuff. It is unbelievably believable. Their acting is so convincing - just 1st class stuff. A lot of people have critisized Reeves for his lack of acting chops. I haven't watched enough of his films to have an opinion on that - but as far as this specific film is concerned - he delivered his lines well. He emoted well. He had great chemistry with the rest- and that is enough for him to be the leading man. Al Pacino was, as always, fantastic. Whenever he appeared, he just had this presence that really engaged the audience. A true veteran he is. Mary Ann Lomax was Theron's breakthrough role - and I can see why. Mary Ann was a pitiful character - at first a devoted woman, but later on a deranged one. And Theron expressed those really well.

As for the more outstanding scenes, they include many gory ones because they were the ones which left a great impression on me. The gore is there for a reason - not pointless gore lah. Freaky, creepy, and made my hair stand. I was just hiding behind my pillow. Half of my face. (I always do that during horror shows.) The best would still be of course, the standoff between Milton and Lomax. But other memorable ones include Mary Ann's suicide scene. It's so depressing and disturbing. It's not just disturbing just because of the gore; it's disturbing because of the fact that Kevin Lomax was outside the room where it happened, totally aware of it, and also bashing the door down in vain - witnessing his wife kill herself in front of him. (By the way - Mary Ann killed herself because she was already deranged beyond belief. Schizoprenia I believe.) Mary Ann also had a nightmare in which she saw a baby playing with something - and it happened to be her ovaries! Blood and all! Arggh!

The movie was initially rated 'R', but of course, they wouldn't let it broadcast here without snipping off some 'offensive material'. Still there are some gruesome stuff to be found. Quite disturbing - not for the faint hearted. Though I would still say it's much better than some horror flicks.

However - I must warn those who are Christians - because I have, as a Christian, at some point been a little disturbed by some lines. The film touches on rather sensitive religious issues pertaining to Christianity. Watch it with an open mind, and watch it bearing in mind that this film is about morality - and it does not promote satanism in any way - at least that's what I think. Milton's lines may be very provocative, but remember it is supposed to illustrate who's the villain here - at least in my opinion. Some people have said it is a dig at organized religion. I really don't think so - and I don't think the film has any intention of doing that. I think it is a swipe at lawyers, if anything else.