Cast: Morgan Freeman, Brad Pitt, Gwyneth Paltrow, John Cassini, R. Lee Ermey, Kevin Spacey
Director: David Fincher
Screenplay: Andrew Kevin Walker
Running Time: 123 minutes
Grade: A-

This movie is continues the new trend of hip misspellings in titles, started by the film "Kalifornia." I suppose the word "Seven" was inadequate for informing the viewer that the seven deadly sins will be covered in the film.

New partners, detective Somerset (Morgan Freeman) and Mills (Brad Pitt) are assigned to a case that turns out to be a serial killer obsessed with sinners. They follow his crimes through what appears to be the monsoon season in New York City. (They never really say where it is, but NYC is my best guess.) It is always dark—whether they’re inside or out—and constantly raining. I suppose they needed the rain in order to have the two cops wear their cool trenchcoats.

The film has some good performances, most notably Morgan Freeman and Kevin Spacey. Morgan Freeman’s quiet presence and magnificent voice guide us through some of the slower parts of the film. Brad Pitt does a credible, though non-spectacular job. One problem I had was that there does not seem to be any screen chemistry between the two lead characters, Pitt and Freeman. Danny Glover and Mel Gibson played similar types in Lethal Weapon, and the team became more than the sum of the parts—not so in this film.

A chase scene—which has the detectives pursuing the killer on foot—actually has one of the participants injuring himself, as a result of jumping out of windows, and falling down, etc. I thought it was unusual at the time, since many films seem to treat people in chase scenes like cartoon characters, who can survive any kind of fall or breaking glass. I discovered that Brad Pitt had injured his hand while filming, and this was worked into the script in the chase scene.

There is one character whose presence and screen time is unnecessary. The only reason she’s introduced and followed is to set up the final scene. Also, the denouement is not as earth shattering as it is built up to be, and leaves the audience somewhat disappointed.

Kevin Spacey, as the killer, steals the show. He doesn’t have much screen time, but you’ll remember his performance. The film is a good psychological thriller with good acting. The middle has some slow parts, but overall, it was entertaining. And any movie wherein a lawyer is gruesomely killed can’t be all bad.