The story in the story and the lacking glue

Rating: 10/10 (4 October 2009)

Although I agree with the majority of the critics that "Se7en" (1995) is one of the outstanding horror movies of our time, I still have to warn to overrate it. It is definitely not a masterpiece like, e.g., Murnau's "Nosferatu", where you will remember the first appearance of Max Schreck in the gate with a far remote camera until your last day.
First, I do not understand why it was considered necessary to put a subsidiary story into the main story. "Se7en" has a default dramaturgy, due to the 7 sins, as, e.g. "The Lodger" (2007) has a default structure, due to the killings of Jack the Ripper, not to mention the "Zodiac" killer movies, etc. Why was it necessary to put the character of Brad Pitt besides the character of Morgan Freeman? Both are in the rank of detectives - the older is a highlight, the younger a zero - the older stands above marriage, the younger is unable to be a good husband and future father and meanwhile enjoys his three of four dogs. But not enough with that: The writer of "Se7en" considered it also important to build in a cross-relation, when Paltrow's character contacts Freeman without letting know Pitt. This one scene as well as their common gathering for a dinner are without any sense for the story, it is painful for Freeman's character - and for the real audience.
Second, after having watched this movie a second time, it has lost all of its initial effects. This has nothing to do with the fact that the highlights of the killings as well as the killer are known now. Movies like "Se7en" or "Silence of the Lambs", in opposition to, e.g., "The Ring", have simply not enough glue to stick so in your head so that you can watch enjoy "Nosferatu", "It's a wonderful life", "My cousin Vinnie", "As good as it gets", only to mention so few. What is it that makes a film stick in your head? What is this semiotic glue that makes the film go on in your head when you leave the cinema or take out the DVD from the player? If someone would find the mechanism, it would be easy to construct ideal movies that would guaranteed be block-buster hits.