The Advocate's Devil

"Thirty Something" star Ken Olin has certainly had a fascinating career since the series ended. He has become a very successful producer, for one thing. Acting wise, for as nice a guy as he played on the series, he has often been cast as a wife killer. In this movie, based on a novel by Alan Dershowitz, he's an attorney with a run of losses who takes what looks to be a slam-dunk case, defending a basketball star accused of rape. Along the way, it begins to look like the case isn't the winner he anticipated as inconsistencies in his client's story begin to emerge.

As his investigator girlfriend, beautiful Mariska Hargitay gives a warm and honest performance. I first saw Mariska's work when she was a kid on "Falcon Crest" and my opinion of her has never changed. She was a delight then, and she has evolved into a wonderful actress while still maintaining a charismatic presence. Holt McCallany, as the defendant, gives nothing away in an enigmatic performance and will keep you guessing.

This is a film that will definitely hold your interest. Only a lawyer could come up with a plot like this, however. I found it just a little too clever.

A very good , solid, direct for T.V. movie that I had the fortune to watch on "Cinemax" overnight many years ago.

The movie deals with the hard situation that popular lawyer Abe Ringel is going through after losing several cases in a row.

Things change when basketball superstar Joe Campbell is accused of rape with violence and decides to hire Ringel as his lawyer.

Ringel, along with her clever and beautiful assistant (Rendi), plus another member of his law-firm figure out the best strategy to demonstrate Campbell's innocence and win the case, although they know that Mr. Campbell is in fact a disturbed person that gets excited after insulting and raping women.

Ringel discovers that Campbell murdered an ex-hooker and threatens to present criminal charges against him.

This is where the movie gets interesting on the legal field because it displays topics like the lawyer's professional ethics towards his clients' privacy, rape, testimonies, murder, etc.

Things get bad when Campbell decides to take revenge on Ringel by seducing his sweet and beautiful daughter, Emma. Campbell finds a way to trick her into a hotel room and tries to rape her after telling horrible things about her dead mother.

This movie is very interesting even if you are not familiar with legal concepts, it is also fast paced and manages to keep you entertained.

Watch this movie and you won't regret it because it is a solid drama with likable characters, great acting, and most of all, because it is entertaining and very believable.

Well...I originally wanted to watch this little telefilm; to see some other stuff Hargitay had done. I must say it was werid seeing her with long hair. The whole plot of the story ran like your typical 'lifetime' movie. You know the channel where; "The men are accused, and the women are abused."

Just like all other lifetime movies, this one was predictable. As soon as the Lawyer's daughter left for college I swear I knew exactly what was going to happen. I understand that someone would like to make unique camera shots to enhance their piece. But trust me using dutch angles was not a way to go. It just seemed to make the film worse, and I wondered when they'd stop it.

Besides all of that they never really explained the 'note' that the basketball player found in Rendi's computer. I find it hard that the girl would dismiss it all that easily. In regards to that it wasn't very realistic.

I liked this movie, I usually hate legal drama crap but this one was pretty good. Sadly, in real life pro athletes get off for stuff like this all the time no matter how many times they are accused, and their fans will always be on their side. The guy in this movie was a complete sociopath, it was really scary! I recommend this movie to anyone who likes legal films, and also to any Lifetime movie buff. The only problems I had with the movie: 1) The movie never tells what happened with that girl who got killed 2) Why did the daughter just forgive this woman for having an affair with her father, and why would she suggest they move in together? I mean come on no decent person would suggest a couple move in together!

Other then that the movie is really good! Please watch it!

I don't understand why we can't watch this movie what do I have to do I've been trying to rent, buy forever somebody help me