Se7en (1995)

dir. David Fincher. Two police detectives, Somerset (Morgan Freeman) who is about to retire, and the younger detective Mills (Brad Pitt), new to the city investigating a serial killer, who kills according to the (non-bilbilcal) seven deadly sins. I can’t believe this is 25 years old, it looks so new compared to other 1990s murder mysteries. It has the same polished David Fincher stlyle, looking just as good as his recent TV series ‘Mindhunter’. The almost omnipresent downpour of rain gives the film a strangely comforting atmosphere. Despite containing some of the most violent murders in cinema, it’s mercifully restrained about showing too much gore – instead we see the detectives and the victims reacting, this makes the film more of a thriller than a horror film, which suits my tastes. Amusing seeing character actor John McGinley in one of his serious roles as the moustachioed SWAT commander, who people may know as Dr. Cox in hospital comedy TV series, ‘Scrubs’. The allegations of sexual abuse by one of the cast does diminish the enjoyment of the climax of the film, although looking back his performance is not quite on the same level as Freeman and Pitt. It’s perhaps Brad Pitt’s best performance, but the main star is Morgan Freeman as intuitive, academic Sherlock homes style detective – to quote ‘The Wire’, he’s “natural police”. I would also not be surprised if he was an inspiration for Detective Lester Freamon in The Wire.