Se7en (1995)

Two detectives, a rookie and a veteran, hunt a serial killer who uses the seven deadly sins as his modus operandi.

Director:

David Fincher

Writer:

Andrew Kevin Walker

Stars:

Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, Gwyneth Paltrow

Top 250 #22 | Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 25 wins & 18 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Brad Pitt	...	Detective David Mills
Morgan Freeman	...	Detective Lt. William Somerset
Gwyneth Paltrow	...	Tracy Mills
R. Lee Ermey	...	Police Captain
Andrew Kevin Walker	...	Dead Man (as Andy Walker)
Daniel Zacapa	...	Detective Taylor
John Cassini	...	Officer Davis
Bob Mack	...	Gluttony Victim
Peter Crombie	...	Dr. O'Neill
Reg E. Cathey	...	Coroner (as Reginald E. Cathey)
George Christy	...	Workman
Endre Hules	...	Cab Driver
Hawthorne James	...	George, Library Night Guard
William Davidson	...	Library Guard (as Roscoe Davidson)
Bob Collins	...	Library Guard

Storyline

A film about two homicide detectives' desperate hunt for a serial killer who justifies his crimes as absolution for the world's ignorance of the Seven Deadly Sins. The movie takes us from the tortured remains of one victim to the next as the sociopathic "John Doe" sermonizes to Detectives Sommerset and Mills -- one sin at a time. The sin of Gluttony comes first and the murderer's terrible capacity is graphically demonstrated in the dark and subdued tones characteristic of film noir. The seasoned and cultured but jaded Sommerset researches the Seven Deadly Sins in an effort to understand the killer's modus operandi while the bright but green and impulsive Detective Mills scoffs at his efforts to get inside the mind of a killer...

---

Plot Keywords:

detective | seven deadly sins | serial killer | gluttony | john doe | 

---

Taglines:

Earnest Hemingway once wrote, "The world is a fine place and worth fighting for." I believe the second part.

---

Genres:

Crime | Mystery | Thriller

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for grisly afterviews of horrific and bizarre killings, and for strong language

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 September 1995 (USA)

Also Known As:

Seven

Filming Locations:

Pacific Electric Building, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$33,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£11,434,343 (UK) (19 January 1996)

Gross:

£19,234,230 (UK) (15 March 1996)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cecchi Gori Pictures, New Line Cinema

Technical Specs

Runtime:

127 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

While filming the scene where Mills chases John Doe in the rain, Brad Pitt fell and his arm went through a car windscreen, requiring surgery. This accident was worked into the script of the film. Ironically, the original script did call for Pitt's Det. Mills character to be injured during this sequence--but to something other than his hand.

---

Goofs

Detective Mills' tucked-in tie when he is looking at the portrait in the greed victim's office.

---

Quotes

[first lines]
Detective Taylor: Neighbors heard them screaming at each other, like for two hours, and it was nothing new. Then they heard the gun go off, both barrels. Crime of passion.
William Somerset: Yeah, just look at all the passion on that wall.

---

Crazy Credits

Credits roll down instead of up, contrary to common movie procedure.

---

Connections

Referenced in Be Kind Rewind (2008)

---

Soundtracks

"In the Beginning"
Written by Dorcas Cochran, Kay Twomey, Ben Weisman, Fred Wise
Performed by The Statler Brothers
Courtesy of Mercury Records Nashville, A Division of PolyGram

User Reviews

Modern Masterpiece!!

Gothic, shocking, suspenseful, disturbing and clever, `Seven' marked a new beginning for director David Fincher's career. This dark tale of murder and crime revolves around two detectives in present New York city played by two brilliant actors `Brad Pitt' and `Morgan Freeman' who are paired together to solve a puzzle of murder that is at the hands of a man who kills regarding to the seven deadly sins. Both actors displayed striking performances that are so sharp and realistic sometimes you have to remind yourself that's its all acting.

David Fincher's masterpiece really gives us an opportunity of a lifetime, maybe it's one that we don't all wish to share, but by seeing this movie you will experience a glimpse of the horrors that this world is filled with, and a small piece of mind of a man who you only prey you never have to meet.

Brad Pitt successfully proves to us that he's not just a pretty face on screen, and that he sinks into his character so well, that you can walk off after the film finishes classifying him as a pretty darn good actor.

You wouldn't expect anything else from Morgan Freeman because it's perfectly obvious that this guy was born to play the roles of the smart detective.

David Fincher's timeless directing and memorable filming captures all the goods that this film has to offer and will undoubtedly leave you shocked and begging for more films like this. Seven is a step into the harsh realities of life, a realistic portrayal of two detectives investigation into the un-describable horrific world murder, and the darkest realms of the human soul.

We can only prey for more classic memorable work from Mr. Fincher and for those future directors who are intent on making a gothic, psychological thriller, make sure you sit down and watch Seven with a pen and paper ready to take notes.