The Advocate

I had the chance to see The Advocate at the 2013 Dances With Films Festival, and a few months later I'm still thinking about it.

Despite being a low-budget indie, The Advocate is neither your typical festival piece, nor a straight up genre slasher. The film is quite polished and restrained for a thriller, which is really to say it's smartly written, directed, acted, and yes, edited--that can never be underestimated with a small film like this.

True to the genre, the story has its fair share of twists and turns, so I don't want to give too much away, but aside from being a compelling murder mystery, it's also a deeply psychological tale about the pain of loss. And that sadness is superbly conveyed by lead actor Sachin Mehta, who heads a memorable cast that truly reflects the multi-cultural identity of LA. To top it off, the performances are underscored by a penetrating soundtrack that sails through the ethereal yet fierce territory of a nouveau-noir world riddled with deceit, loneliness, and revenge.

Thankfully, it's not all heavy duty. The Advocate also boasts those playful Hitchcockian moments of comic release. And the dialog isn't the only thing bouncing, there are some great glares going around, too. I'd like to see a mash-up of all those suspiciously sultry looks lending themselves to some good old campy fun.

Ultimately, the best thing about this flick is that it sticks with you. With all the layers of the mystery, it's the type of movie you want to talk about afterward, and maybe even revisit to study the clues once again.

I enjoyed The Advocate.

Both the femme fatale and the male lead actor delivered strong performances.

And the supporting cast (particularly the detective) was fun to watch as well.

I liked the pacing of the storyline, though I was hoping for a little more resolution at the end of the film.

All in all a good movie that kept me engaged throughout.

I'd recommend this film to anyone who appreciates Hitchcockian thrillers.

Watched this movie at Dances With Films Festival in LA several months ago. It is a dark twisted tale of a defense attorney who takes on guilty clients and gets innocent verdicts... for a price. When he accepts a new sexy client, he finds himself no longer emotionally disengaged. Add to the mix a humiliated cop snooping around which amps up the pressure in this taunt psychological tale of justice, remorse, and revenge.

Found out that this production was shot over a couple of weeks. You would not be able tell. Slick and high quality for an indy. Writer- director Tamas Harangi has made an enjoyable feature and I look forward to more features from him. Also, performances by Sachin Mehta as the advocating attorney and Michael Raynor as the cop on the edge really stood out.

I highly recommended this dark and stunning picture.

I have not seen a film this good in a very long time! Well and intelligently written: good plot, witty dialogue, and interesting characters. Even the ending was a bit surprising.

I would describe this movie as a legal & psychological thriller. By the time it was almost over, I had imagined several suspects including the attorney's assistant as the accused's lover! Yeah that was a bit over the top. Anyway, I was very impressed with the film. The only set back is I believe the actors could have been more polished, except for Sachin.

All in all, it was good to watch an entertaining film on an otherwise boring Monday.

P.S. There is no nudity in this film. I don't know why that other reviewer called it a porn film?????

I've loved this genre since I was a little kid and the Advocate doesn't disappoint. First we have the moody music, which was nuanced without being cheesy. The editing was sharp. Then we have the Los Angeles locations, which is great given that most films are done in Canada with generic city settings trying to pass themselves off as Los Angeles. I find these films don't get the spirit of a city. There's thought and logic in the dialogue. I've seen the film twice with different sets of friends. After the second viewing I picked up more of the subtleties, which made it even richer. Is it a big budget film no. Does the Advocate tell a good story yes. Is it worth seeing? Most definitely. In this genre it's important not to pander to the audience. Good films make us think and don't provide summary dialogue or laugh tracks running throughout the film. They take us into their world for a few hours. And I enjoyed my time here.