Sometimes a directors first film is not always the dream project he hopes it to be. Sometimes the studio interferes or a star pulls some crazy requests or they take your finished product and chop it all to hell. It is sometimes the first film that is used to prove to studios and big wigs that you are ready to handle other projects. This was the case when David Fincher had come off of 1992 Alien 3 and was next given what would go down as the first true success in a long career of amazing films. 1995's Se7en was the perfect melding of talents writer and director coming together and elevating what could have been a by the numbers serial killer film and turned it into one of the most discussed and analyzed of the genre to this day.
The plot follows rookie detective Mills (Brad Pitt) and veteran Somerset (Morgan Freeman) who are forced into being partners after a series of gruesome murders binds them together. The murders are not only horrifying but they seem to follow the teachings of the seven deadly sins. The film leads the two detectives into the seedy belly of the underworld trying to keep up with the killer before his next murder is set into motion. The two eventually work through nearly all of the sins when something completely unexpected turns the game of cat and mouse on its ear leaving you asking who is really playing who.
The film is one of Fincher's best works to date and is a strong sophomore film that shows if given the right people and freedom to do his thing he will give you gold. Fincher is a director who doesn't put out something every year and the reason is because he takes his time on making quality not quantity. The film is directed so well knowing just when to push what buttons to illicit a reaction from the audience without making it feel cheap or forced. His moments during the crime scenes of Se7en are nothing short of brilliant. They are directed like something out of a nightmare. It is a perfect pairing of subject matter and filmmaker.
This would be the first but certainly not last pairing of Pitt and Fincher but would not be the last they would collaborate on two other projects including Fight Club in 1999. This was the perfect movie for Pitt at this time in his career. He had shown that he could play handsome in Legends of the Fall. He had shown range and ability to play crazy with Twelve monkeys and Kalifornia. This was the perfect project to showcase him in a leading man role. Pitt plays the brash arrogant Mills perfectly and shows a building of a character not often seen in other films by him. We see a true journey with this character and feel like we want to root for him and those he loves.
Freeman is the other cop and he is at his best playing the old cop who is ready to get away from this life and never look back. He is perfect as mentor to Pitt who is always the shoot first where Somerset is a man who takes his time to figure things out. The two blend perfectly and play off each other as well keeping both tension and friendship going all the way through.
This film is nearly perfect with an ending that will leave your mouth a gape along with a surprise appearance by an actor who if you didn't know was in this will show you why he is one of the finest actors of today.
Well we are out of the realm of fiction and tomorrow we will find ourselves in the real world with another Fincher film set in 1970 with one of the most infamous serial killers of all time. For High Weirdness I'm Benjamin Kolton reminding you "It's Only a Movie." "It's Only a Movie."
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