Lenny Bruce loved words. The most common misconception is that he did not. Today, Bruce is best known for revolutionizing the face of stand-up  paving the way for such future talents as George Carlin and Bill Hicks  but not many people are actually familiar with his comedy, and that's a shame, because there was a lot more to it than just swearing.

He was infamously arrested over a dozen or so times for speaking offensively in comedy clubs, and eventually began to represent himself in court. He never gained respect when he was alive, and so he died a frustrated, misunderstood soul who was simply far too ahead of his time.

The masses didn't get him. His racial jokes and political satire was misinterpreted and taken at face value. His sermons ridiculing religion drew hate from conservative Americans.

But Bruce enjoyed toying with words, and bending the typical perception of what they symbolized  he cherished the impact they had on people. When Bruce said a certain four-letter expletive, it wasn't to purposely offend people  it was to help liberate their ways of thinking. Words were an entryway - once he could knock people off-balance, he was free to go for the throat. He used foul language in the same way as he used words dealing with religion, homosexuals, politics and the world  he used them to make a point. And it's a shame his point didn't resonate until after his death.

The makers of "Lenny" understood Bruce, though. They also understood his flaws as a human being, and the result is an unflinchingly honest biopic that paints a dark, staunch portrait of a troubled man. Dustin Hoffman presents Lenny as an alternately despicable and heroic figure, and there is a spark in his eyes throughout the early scenes of the movie that eventually gives way to desperation later in the picture. Hoffman is so convincing we forget we are watching an actor. He entirely embodies himself within Lenny Bruce, adapting all of the comic's tics and habits.

The movie is told from the perspective of those who knew Bruce  his wife, Honey (Valerie Perrine), his aunt, and his manager. The narrative cuts back and forth between scenes with Lenny and interview segments, which we see through the eyes of an off-screen interviewer (whose voice is none other than the movie's director, Bob Fosse).

"Lenny" is an uncomfortable film, and it is not by any means perfect. The matter-of-fact narrative is a bit alienating and prevents us from getting entirely close to Bruce  but that may very well have been the point. A more heartfelt biography of the performer perhaps would have restricted Fosse and screenwriter Julian Barry from divulging into Lenny's more seedy character traits  such as when he coerces his unwilling wife into a threesome with another woman, later ridiculing her for doing so; or when he goes on stage completely drugged out of his mind and makes a fool of himself. If they had allowed audiences to empathize with Bruce to a greater degree, truth may have been sacrificed along the way. And although the narrative is rather cold, it's also unique  sometimes refreshingly so.

Despite imperfections, "Lenny" is one of the better motion pictures of the 1970s  and perhaps one of the movies that best capture the essence of cinema from a time when the mainstream and art-house were coexistent.

It is a typical 1970s production insofar as that it is grim, bleak and more depressing than any production you would have seen on the screen a decade earlier  but it's an admirable feat. Fosse has a close grip on the direction and Hoffman and Perrine are both absolutely superb, bringing to life two very tortured souls who temporarily found solace in each other, before finding their relationship put to the test by drug abuse and self-loathing.

Lenny died from a heroin overdose in 1966. In 2003 he was granted a posthumous pardon by New York State for his most notable arrest in 1964, for an "obscene performance." It's a nice gesture, although one can't help but think it would have only really made a difference 40 years ago.


This biopic about shock comedian Lenny Bruce was Bob Fosse's followup to his well-received 1972 film "Cabaret." I'm pretty sure that "Lenny" was a financial bomb, and I'm not surprised. It's a relentlessly depressing and ugly film, despite the stylish polish Fosse gives it. Anyone who has seen Fosse's last film, "Star 80," knows just how nihilistic this director could be, and "Lenny" shows evidence of that.

It is a fascinating film though, in its own way. Fosse uses a documentary-like approach, complete with black and white photography and a narrative device in which we see Bruce's long-suffering love (played heartbreakingly by Valerie Perrine, Lex Luthor's bikini-clad girlfriend in "Superman" [1978]) telling Bruce's story to a filmmaker while the actual events themselves are played out as flashbacks. Fosse was fond of this confessional type of storytelling and would use it again in "All That Jazz" (1979). Dustin Hoffman is simply sensational as Bruce; he utterly disappears into this caustic character until no trace of Hoffman the actor is left. Technically, everything about the film is highly accomplished, but it's so desolately grim as to be off putting.

Grade: B+


I saw this film during it's initial release in the theaters but have only seen it twice since then. It didn't get much of a TV life. Dustin Hoffman is stellar as social commentary/satirist/observationalist/blue language comic Lenny Bruce. He was nominated for Best Actor for the 1974 Academy Award for his role but lost out to Art Carney for Harry and Tonto. Veteran actor Albert Finney was also nominated that year but Carney won on sentiment and Hoffman lost out when he and fellow nominees Jack Nicholson for Chinatown and Al Pacino for Godfather II split the vote which led to Carney's win. Valerie Perrine in her only Oscar nomination of her career was up for Best Actress. Lenny was up for most of the major awards including Best Picture, Best Director for Bob Fosse. It was also nominated for Best Screenplay and Cinematography but came up empty in all six nominations. Hoffman had just come off playing another biographical figure of Louis Dega in Pappion and would be Carl Bernstein in his his next film All the President's Men. Lenny Bruce had only been dead for eight years when Hoffman portrayed him on the big screen so much of the audience knew Bruce fairly fresh in their memories so to portray a contemporary figure of Bruce's genius and legend was not an easy role for Hoffman to step into but his portrayal of the doomed and controversial comic is compelling. Fosse, known for his choreography which is still being used in films like Chicago years after his death only directed five theatrical films and three of those were musicals in Sweet Charity, Caberet and All That Jazz so Lenny would be the first of only two non-musicals he would direct, both biographies, Lenny and Star 80. I don't think as a film this had enough to be a best picture but Hoffman was deserved of his best actor nomination and arguably should have won the Oscar for it. I would give this an 8.5 out of 10 and recommend it.


To be honest I don't think the rest of the film quite deserves 8 stars, but Dustin Hoffman's performance as Lenny Bruce is so extraordinary that it lifts the movie up to that rating.

Made in a fairly familiar quasi-documentary style, 'Lenny' begins with 'present day' (i.e. 1974) interviews with the surviving characters from Lenny's life, cut with flashbacks to his 1950's beginnings as a 'traditional' comic, and 'late' live performances in his post-drug-bust days. As the film progresses and the narrative catches up with the interviews, the gaps between these segments 'close'. Clever use is made of some of Lenny's material, cutting from keywords or phrases in his bits, to events in his life with inspired or correlated to them.

All the same there is something a little dry and disappointing in the film's structure: almost as if it could have used a more conventional, linear narrative, like Milos Forman's tribute to Andy Kauffman, 'Man on the Moon' would use to such great effect 25 years later.

Ironically though, such a structure might have deprived of us of seeing more of Hoffman doing Lenny's bits 'live' on stage - and for me these were the highlights, which I wish had lasted longer, rather than flashing back to some past event after 30 seconds. As a big Lenny Bruce fan, I can only say that Hoffman's portrayal is almost supernatural. It's like he's channeling the guy. He has his mannerisms and improvisational style down perfectly. You would swear you were seeing these improvisations for the first time if you hadn't heard them already. In fact, Hoffman possibly even improves on Lenny's delivery in one small respect. Lenny had a penchant for the 'conversation' that would erupt in the middle of one of his bits, between two or more characters. Hoffman probably puts a bit more distinction between the characters than Lenny often did (quite often they would all just sound like Lenny, which was part of the magic, but never mind.) Over 30 years on, it's quite amazing to me that this film has become a relative obscurity in Dustin Hoffman's filmography. Frankly, though Hoffman has blown me away on various occasions, I don't ever remember being more blown away than this. And if you were to pick easy people to imitate, I doubt Lenny Bruce on stage would be high on many people's lists.

The film as a whole is good, but to witness Hoffman channeling Bruce, it's a must-see.


Dustin Hoffman plays Lenny Bruce, the controversial stand-up comic who views comedy as a form of debate...I am going to take a stab at why this film is in black & white...The vast majority of this film takes place in the late fifties and early sixties..The black and white presentation exudes the era in which Lenny Bruce's popularity prevailed!! Black and White captures the three packs of cigarettes an evening per deviate nightclub era of the Lenny Bruce days so so so cogently!!... Interesting concept.. How many men get their blank blanked.. How many men have blanked a blank.. None?..They aren't telling the truth...especially those in lower middle management!! How about the fact that your wife is not a lesbian, but for purposes of a voyeuristic thrill...Why not?..Kind of degrading!! but for Lenny Bruce, that's the best part... SORT OF!!!...KIND OF!!... How can you curb obscenity when obscenity is the truth?...How does an overzealous, intellectual, New York Jewish comic ignore his upbringing? ..HE DOESN'T!! And finally, Why is this such a terrific movie!!...Because it is so much of a story about the sixties revolution...Here is one of the most poignant phrases I have ever heard, "Telling a person he is obnoxious is often times tantamount to telling them they they are telling the truth!! The fact is, nobody particularly cares to hear the truth 99.999% of the times anyway!!" I once rented "Lenny" with "Bonnie and Clyde" together. What could these two movies have in common? Both sixty's era in one way or another, but, more importantly, how people in the wrong can be recipients of a sort of convoluted injustice!!You are no more immoral than anybody else, you are just better at it!! Lenny's comedy routines transcended innuendos concerning vulgarities, his obscenities were neon accented!! It is for this reason that police were always carting him away!! Suffice it to say, "Lenny" is one of my favorite movies.. Often times, it seemed like even when Lenny Bruce lost, he won!! Normal? different? respectable? pornographic? What is the difference? So often, there is just a paper thin line between the two!! Trust me!! not everybody is just like the Waltons!!!


Dustin Hoffman accomplished another great role as political comedian Lenny Bruce, whose comments always irked the establishment. Bruce truly paved the way for George Carlin, Richard Pryor, Robin Williams, and everyone such. Probably the best part was when he commented on the two gay teachers who'd gotten fired ("There was no situation where a kid came home saying 'We had five minutes of geography and ten minutes of c---sucking'.") Not surprisingly, they arrested him after that.

I have to admit that I've actually never heard any of Lenny Bruce's albums (except for a few lines out of "The Sick Humor of Lenny Bruce"). But anyhow, "Lenny" is a masterpiece.


One of the most common eulogies today for Lenny Bruce is that he died for our sins. Perhaps one of the strongest points of "Lenny" is that it does not overtly proclaim the truth of this sentiment, one way or the other - the overdose sequence comes, naturally, after the crescendo of Lenny's legal losses and might therefore lead one to believe that his death was caused by his struggle for freedom of speech. However we are also treated to multiple examples of Lenny's hedonism and the choices (perhaps poor, perhaps misguided) that are also to blame for his death. Did he die for our sins? Or did he die because he overdosed on heroin when he should have known better? A little bit of both, but both Fosse and Hoffman leave it open.

Hoffman is simply wonderful. I have never seen footage of a Bruce concert/performance, but I have several as music files and have listened to them many times (particularly the Berkeley and Carnegie Hall performances that are also undoubtedly CDs now); Hoffman captures his verbal mannerisms perfectly. The pauses, the stutters, the sly laugh - close your eyes and Lenny Bruce is right there. Much of the material will be familiar to anyone who has listened to Bruce's work, but there is also much that I have never heard. The last performance in which Lenny is on stage in nothing except a raincoat, in particular, is eye opening - according to the trivia it actually occurred and was sent in by a student who was at the show.

The black and white look lends the film a very raw feel, which is fitting given Lenny's comic mannerisms and subjects. I don't know much about cinematography, but I do know that it worked well.

The film also makes it very clear that Bruce was far more than tit jokes and profanity. It's easy for some to see and hear Lenny Bruce and think him unoriginal, boring and simply not that big of a deal especially in comparison to the comedy of today. My personal opinion is that Bruce is just as funny today as he was when he was alive: a dangerous kind of funny, a ha-ha funny in which you're not sure if you should be laughing but you do it anyway, a funny unafraid of anything, any boundary and any social more. Yes he is shocking, and yes sometimes some of the comedy is derived from obscenity in the way that some of the comedy of many an otherwise "highbrow" movie is derived from the obscene, but ultimately Lenny's value was that he laughed at his (and our) faults and made it seem okay to join him. The scene where he very dramatically segue ways from a successful bit to him calling for "niggers" is an example of this; it holds its value even today. The audience is shocked, sure that he has finally stepped over the line, and Lenny reels them in with his skill and acuity, going around pointing out the "kykes", "spic", "wops", etc. and noting that if JFK used the word "nigger" everyday in his public speech it might one day mean that the word no longer had the power to make a twelve year old black kid cry. It is just one more example of the power of words and of Lenny Bruce's awareness of this.

The clear dilemma of the movie is that Bruce is crass, rude, selfish, often annoying, highly unlikable... and ultimately right. I have always gotten the sense that Lenny was most undoubtedly an asshole, and that the case for martyrdom has a little too much revisionism going for it. I don't think he did his comedy to empower the rest of us, per se, nor to make a sacrifice for freedom of speech and, by inference, the soul of America. I think that Lenny Bruce was just being Lenny Bruce, that he could no more NOT get up in front of an audience and speak frankly of what was on his mind than you or I could stop breathing on purpose. That he did so was right and natural for him, and to do otherwise would probably have driven him mad or at least mediocre; it does not diminish his impact nor his contribution to American comedy, American society and America.

Hoffman and Fosse have brought all of this out. See this movie - especially if you're easily offended, because you need it the most.


My first exposure to the world of Lenny Bruce was the Broadway show, Lenny. The film is (loosely) based on the play, which rather faithfully followed the life of Lenny Bruce (more or less) and told his story using entirely his own words. In the stage version, Lenny was played by Cliff Gorman, whose best known role was that of the wildly effeminate character Emory in both the film and original stage productions of Mart Crowley's play the Boys in the Band. At the time, I ran out and purchased everything I could find on Lenny Bruce, because Cliff Gorman was that funny. I laughed so hard in the theatre, I thought I'd die, and had trouble deciding what was more important, Lenny Bruce's status as one of the funniest comedians around, or the amazing social commentary that was contained in his routines. At the time, I remember thinking that Lenny Bruce was more of a philosopher or even a potential cult religious leader than a comedian. He had a knack of exposing hypocrisy, be it in politics, organized religion, race relations or whatever. I was convinced, at the tender age of 18, that Lenny Bruce had the keys, if not the answers, to all of the world's problems.

I went out and purchased the cast album of the Broadway show, which consisted of a 2 LP recording of a complete live performance of the play. I spent hours comparing Cliff Gorman to the real Lenny Bruce, and each time I listened to either, I memorized one of Lenny's hysterically funny bits. When I listened to records of the real Lenny Bruce, I marveled at how perfectly Cliff Gorman had reproduced his persona. The rapid-fire delivery, the inflection, even the tonal quality of his voice and the exact pauses in his speech were there. It was like Lenny Bruce had been reincarnated as Cliff Gorman. I had trouble deciding if this was great acting or just a good impersonation, and in the end decided it didn't matter, for the material in Lenny seemed to capture the real Lenny Bruce. That was good enough for me.

When the film was announced, and I'd heard that Dustin Hoffman had been chosen to play Lenny, I was thrilled. As a fan of Mr. Hoffman, I was sure he could do great justice to both the man and the material. By the time the picture was completed, I had learned almost as much about Lenny Bruce's life as I ever would, and was familiar with probably 80% of his most famous routines. The Masked Man, Christ and Moses, Las Vegas Tits and Ass, Airplane Glue, Ike and Nixon, Jackie Kennedy  I knew a lot of these by heart. Some of them I memorized cold, and found that when people mentioned his name at parties or family gatherings, and someone invariably asked who he was, rather than explain his life or what he died of, all I had to do was recite one of his bits. I never had a single person who was new to his material that didn't pronounce him awesome (as the kids say nowadays) on the spot.

I don't remember what film I was watching (it was 31 years ago) when I first saw a trailer for the film, but as soon as I saw a clip of Dustin Hoffman as Lenny I knew something was wrong. I had a sinking feeling that I wasn't going to like the movie bio of what was now my favorite comedian, but I went to see it anyway, as soon as it opened, hoping my gut instinct was wrong. The cinematography was stunning. The direction was first rate. The story was fairly faithful to the life and spirit of Lenny Bruce, and Dustin Hoffman did as good an acting job as I'd ever seen. All of the bits were there, and so was a fairly faithful rendering of his professional life. So what was the problem? The problem was simply that Dustin wasn't funny. Those were Lenny Bruce's words and Lenny Bruce's life, but the jokes fell flat. I came to the conclusion that no matter how skilled he is as an actor, Dustin Hoffman is no comedian. He certainly was no Lenny Bruce. Where was the lightning timing I was used to from the Cliff Gorman and Lenny Bruce recordings? Mr. Hoffman seemed very unsure of his material, and delivered all the routines at what seemed like half-speed. It was almost like he was a 45 RPM record being played at 33 1/3. I wanted to reach into his mouth and pull the words out, and shout at the screen, "You've got it all wrong! This is too somber and too slow and toounfunny to be Lenny Bruce". Worse, Mr. Hoffman had the annoying habit (which Lenny never did) of laughing at his own jokes. Not loud guffaws mind you, just chuckles. Constant chuckles, almost to himself, which left me with the impression that he thought that he was the only one who got the material.

I bought the VHS when it came out several years later and watched it faithfully, hoping that as an older and wiser person, maybe I would find things in Mr. Hoffman's performance that I missed in 1974. I wanted it to click. No such luck. I then dutifully purchased the DVD, as I have always purchased "new" Lenny Bruce recording or, lately videos, never tiring of his delivery or his message. Again, I hoped that time had been kind to the portrayal I had so looked forward to in 1974. But I screened it recently, and the film still leaves me cold, despite the best of intentions, the flawless direction and the great production values. Icon, philosopher, cult leader or genius, if nothing else, Lenny Bruce was funny. And Dustin Hoffman was not.


An interesting biopic of groundbreaking comic Lenny Bruce with Dustin Hoffman as Lenny and Valerie Perrine as his stripper wife. The movie suffers from one problem: Dustin Hoffman isn't funny. Eddie Izzard playing the same role on stage in London was so funny doing old Lenny Bruce material, I was crying. For that matter, Lenny Bruce himself was hilarious as I discovered in the 2-cd set of his 1961 concert at Carnegie Hall. Although Hoffman does what seems to be a spot-on imitation of Bruce, he never finds the essential relationship with the stand-up material. Without the laughs, the movie fails its goal of showing why Lenny Bruce was such an important figure in American culture. Still, Valerie Perrine has never been more naked. 5 out of 10.


The rise and fall of comic Lenny Bruce (Dustin Hoffman). Bruce was one of the first comedians to use swearing in his act and was actually taken to court over it. The movie also chronicles his marriage to stripper Honey Harlow (Valerie Perrine).

Bob Fosse was a strange choice to direct this--he had only done two musicals before ("Sweet Charity" and "Cabarat"), but "Cabaret" was such a huge hit I guess he could pick and choose what he wanted. He shoots it in black and white and uses a documentary style approach by interviewing Bruces wife, mother and agent and then flashing to those scenes. It does work but the film is extremely depressing. The black and white is very stark and gives the film a cold look and feeling. Also, I found nothing funny in Hoffman doing Bruce's routines. It's not that he's bad (he's actually very good), but the tone of the film is not humorous.

As I said, Hoffman is good but Perrine is spectacular. She gives a very strong, nuanced performance. Also, she does an extremely erotic strip tease at the beginning of the film and holds her own in a (mild) lesbian scene.

It's worth catching but you'll probably be depressed by the end. If this film weren't such a downer it would probably be better known.


Lenny is a great movie dealing with several social issues, shown from a celebrity perspective but they stand good from a common man's perspective. The timing to watch such movie could not have been better because recently only we lost the most popular human being off all times and I was comparing his.MJ's life to that of Lenny and they seemed quite similar especially the end. The movie also looked good probably because I did not how big of a personality this guy Lenny was (was written about in Time magazine n all) and my previous experience with such biographies hasn't been that great. The only safe bet I had was Dustin Hoffman and from the first scene he looked his usual best. The movie's style, of how Lenny derived his socio-comic material from his own experiences. The editing of the scenes where what was happening in his life, was being laughed upon in a subsequent scene by audience when Lenny put them in his own comical fashion. In the starting when he did that, I thought he was a shallow personality but on the other hand I think he was a strong personality who brought all those social issues to a bigger audience for people to learn from them. Also a lot of things he was accused of back in the daysmost of them are a common thing todayso we can say he was ahead of time. Bottom line: everybody got problemsits just that we get to hear about celebrities' only


Lenny Bruce is iconic - Richard Pryor, George Carlin, Robin Williams all owe much to Bruce's honesty. No one-liners, just observational comedy on sex and relationships.

Here under Bob Fosse's stark direction Hoffman shines. This is the closet Dustin Hoffman comes to method acting: if you go to YouTube and look at Bruce you can really see the effort Hoffman put in here.

The film tries to explain, only partially successfully, how Lenny came to be the comedian he was. The biographical format works well enough but we are never really given the insight as to how he developed his stage act, rather it is explained through the drugs and circumstances...

All in all a good, fairly gritty film, which charts the life of one f comedy's great groundbreakers, and a killer performance by Dustin Hoffman.


I didn't knew Lenny Bruce until I heard about this movie. But I'm a big fan of biography movies, so I decided to give this movie a shot, since I like Dustin Hoffman and also a world of stand up comedy. Lenny is a biographical movie about Lenny Bruce, a controversial stand up comic, who uses comedy as a public statement against his legal and personal troubles. The movie presents a story in black and white color, so it's quite depressing from time to time. Dustin Hoffman also did a great job as a troubled stand - up comedian, despite the fact I found him far away from being a comic actor. Like I said, the movie is quite depressing, not very funny even if it talks about stand up comedian (Man on the moon for example, was a perfect movie, which make a combination of comedy and drama, but Lenny is just drama)and from time to time it is quite boring. Personally I had problem with the first hour of the movie, which is quite boring and sometimes very annoying. The director put a lot of scenes in the movie, which don't have nothing to do with a whole story; for example first 10 minutes we're just watching the lead female character stripping on the stage. And later on another nude scene with Lenny, his girlfriend and another takes place for about 4 minutes, which is really boring and annoying. But the other half of the movie is much much better; Lenny Bruce's legal troubles, obscene behavior and problems with drugs... the movie was in this case quite realistic but also very very depressing. But overall I like this movie; Hoffman is great, realism is very painful and some of the dialogs in the movie is excellent, the only issue I had were some unnecessary nude scenes and unconvincing beginning of the movie. And I also didn't like the fact, that a movie about a stand up comic is not even funny.


After reading a couple of comments on "Lenny", claiming "Unfortunately not very funny" I have made an effort to register on IMDb.com, just to give my view. To the people who wrote the words along those lines - Has it ever occurred to you, that Lenny Bruce's life is just not a very funny story? Yes, he was 1 of the best comedians ever, but did you really expect 2 hours of laughter, and than at the end, a little reminder that something went very wrong here - a tiny reminder, not anything to shake you up too much? Really???

Yes, it is not very funny. If you decide to watch "Lenny", you will not get as many laughs, as you might have expected. I wouldn't say it is unfortunate though.

What you will get is an accurate description of an incredibly powerful, real character. Lenny might not be the most likable hero ever, but he was a guy who stood up for what he believed in, and had a lot of fight in him. Don't we want our movie heroes to be like that?

You'll get wonderful performances in the leading roles, a cinematography that each and every student of cinematography should be made to watch for hours, and Bob Fosse's direction, (helped by a modern approach to editing) simply stunning.

You'll be moved, you'll get a lot of food for thought and you'll feel enriched by this movie. But yeah, you won't get many laughs. What a waste of time, right?

Wrong.


After seeing and hearing some of Leny Bruce originals, kudos to great performance by leading man Dustin Hoffman (Lenny Bruce). Not by a chance any less of a great performance also by Valerie Perrine (Honey Bruce). Interesting completion of screenplay by its concept through interview with Lenny's wife. Super cinematography, excellent choice for black & white touch what actually makes the story even more complex and ready to sink in. There are some faults but I simply ignored them for the same reasons written above. So them (faults I mean), you will have to find yourself and decide how to comment them. Definitely in top range of Hollywood movie making.


Criticized, perhaps correctly, for turning foul-mouthed comic Lenny Bruce into a misunderstood crusader for the right to free speech, LENNY is nonetheless a potent and highly entertaining movie. Dustin Hoffman is brilliant as Bruce and Valerie Perrine matches him as his drug addicted wife Honey. The unlikely director, Bob Fosse, utilizes an interview technique and has those close to Bruce explicate the story. It works well. Bruce Surtee's black and white cinematography is stunning. The jazz clubs and comic dens are eerily photographed. There are shots that resemble the work of Weegee or Diane Arbus. Jan Miner plays Bruce's mother and Gary Morton is a Milton Berle-like comedian in one of the film's best scenes.


Dustin Hoffman's performance as comic Lenny Bruce is brilliant and I agree with those who say he is one of the greatest actors in cinema history. Indeed the production of the whole film - scripting, acting, directing, editing - is superb. It was obviously shot in black and white to convey a period (early 1950s to early 1960s) documentary feel and it works. There is probably more comedy in some of the off-stage scenes, particularly the courtroom repartee, than the stage performances which seem designed to demonstrate why he irritated a lot of people at the time. By today's standards the "obscenity" all seems quite tame, and comedians such as Billy Connelly and Rowan Atkinson are just as crude and manage to have their performances shown on TV without a whisper of complaint (at least not in this part of the world). The difference is that Lenny Bruce had a lot to say about social and political issues of the day, some of which get presented in this film. It won't be everyone's cup of tea, but highly recommended as an example of excellent movie making.


I thoroughly enjoyed this film. Dustin gives a wonderful performance as do all of the supporting cast. Valerie Perrine has the ability to draw your attention in all respects and is a wonderful actress. The dialogue is smart and smacking and LB's words will be having you squirming in your seat in no time at all. If you wanted to know about Lenny Bruce, his thoughts, his loves, his fears and passions, Dustin delivers for you. He makes you feel as if you'd known Lenny yourself. See this movie. Why? Because _you_ need to think about the nature of things, too. - 8 of 10


Lenny is the best picture of 1974 by far. Overshadowed by masterpieces like the Godfather Part 2 and Chinatown, Lenny is equal to the two if not better. It sad to say this but Lenny is the most underrated film in movie history. Everything about it is top notch. Fosse is great behind the camera and Perrine acts great as Bruce's wife. But the whole greatness to the film, the whole masterpiece of it, lies in the performance given by Dustin Hoffman. He keeps you glued to the screen. The way he says his lines, his facial expressions, his gestures. He should have won every acting award there was. Excuse me, I'm wrong. Awards don't mean anything, especially the Oscars, which are nothing but a popularity contest. The oscars are obscene, dirty, and no better than a beauty contest. All in all the best pic of 1974 and of all time for that matter. Hoffman's best ever, or that could be Midnight Cowboy. Hoffman, the greatest actor who ever lived.


First of all, I am a sucker for post-1960 black and white. This photography does not disappoint. It is all to easy to look back on things now and start naming heroes. Lenny Bruce was no such thing. He had serious problems, not the least of which being substance abuse. So, this is not someone whose word is law. However, the man had something to say, and tried to say it at all costs. Dustin Hoffman nails his role. (Mr. Carney better give a mind-bending performance in "Harry and Tonto" to beat Pacino and Hoffman in some two of the best performances American cinema has seen.) The documentary approach was very effective and poignant. One of my favorite things about the film was the editing between the narrative and the performances(s?) toward the end of his career. Not only did it work aesthetically, but it was subtly brilliant to intertwine Lenny's observations with his real experiences. This shows that, right or wrong, he was coming from the heart. He did not claim to be a saint, but he saw problems in his life and America at large, and he didn't hesitate to share those thoughts. This is a stirring film with importance. Forget that you do not agree with him, at least hear him out.


Lenny is a powerful movie about the life of tortured comic Lenny Bruce and his wife Honey. The surprise of the film is it focuses a great deal of time on Honey, which is fine because I am all ready very familiar with the entire story of Lenny Bruce. His wife is usually not talked about as much and this movie does a good job dealing with her. The acting is excellent, Hoffman is dead on as Lenny Bruce, he looks and acts a lot like him. Perrine is just as good as Honey. The movies only flaw is that I know so much about Lenny Bruce, a lot of this felt like old material. But the acting and atmosphere more than makes up for the fact I all ready knew most of what would happen in the movie.


Director Bob Fosse does it again with Lenny, a fine movie of the life of legendary 60's comedian Lenny Bruce. Using the same trademark style he used in Cabaret, Fosse creates a wonderful black and white visual collage. The mood and world of 60's nightclubs is wonderfully recreated. Both Dustin Hoffman and Valerie Perrine are superb.


... That is, after all, what the subject in question was all about; candidly highlighting the REAL 'evils' of the world and arguing very convincingly that there wasn't much wrong with discussing common truths, even if they DID happen to be 'unpleasant'. If 'words' are indeed 'power', then here in this film for all to see was a MAGNET of a man, a beacon. Sure, it's 'dark', but then, so too is life, so honesty comes forth once again. Hoffman brilliantly shows us a guy unafraid to bare his soul on stage night after night, and when the authorities took that away from him, there was basically nothing worthwhile left. We must remember though, that he was a pioneer, so his 'trailblazing' gave a path for others to follow. Who knows how many lives were saved by people finally being permitted to say what was on their mind?

It's an altogether different proposition than Fosse's other 'lighthearted' fare, and it suits me as a viewer a whole lot better. Who goes through life singing? Well, 'Lenny' certainly didn't, but this great piece of cinema shows that he WAS a totally committed 'humanist', of a sort.

Life may not always be 'tra-la-la', but even the darkest passages can provide plenty of 'ha-ha'... ! 9/10.


I'm always in for a movie classic like this. Dustin Hoffmann one of the greatest actors ever (even if "Rain Man" was his last truly great film) shines in this biopic about controversial comedian Lenny Bruce. I don't really know why they shot it in black and white but after a while it didn't bother me anymore. If you liked "Man On The Moon" go and see "Lenny".


I somehow doubt the real Lenny Bruce, shock-comedian of the early 1960s who quickly passed into legend after his self-inflicted death, was so romantically melancholic. Director Bob Fosse's take on Bruce is self-enamored and creepily voyeuristic, with lots of quick cuts and cinematic tricks. Yet on its own show-biz terms, with grubby, sordid underpinnings and rampant self-pity, "Lenny" is a masterful visceral experience. It shoots-up on its own sadness. The controversial comedian's rise to the top, his marriage to a sexy stripper, and his eventual downfall into drugs and court hearings is fascinating to watch, however Dustin Hoffman is arguably too genial and soft as Bruce (Hoffman gives the character a sympathetic center, and some may say this works for the picture). Valerie Perrine is a natural as wife Honey, her blasé, almost indifferent manner and unconscious sexiness is both decadent and appealing. The black-and-white cinematography is terrific, and Fosse really lays on the editing razzle-dazzle, also making good usage of Miles Davis' "It Never Entered My Mind". *** from ****


A bio-pic of the controversial 1960's comedian and social commentator Lenny Bruce - told in interview-cum-flashback style.

Presuming you know anything about LB at all, what do you want to believe? That he was a comedic genius who was a forerunner to today's "alternative comedians" or a foul mouthed drug addict whose only working tool was to shock and titillate a virgin audience? Here it hardly matters whether you like the man himself or would have laughed at his material if present at his better shows. No one much was laughing much near the end - as this film clearly testifies.

Curiously, this is a film that is neither a love-in nor a condemnation. More a cold eyed and professional look at a life lived - by self choice - on the edge.

(I am sure that fellow "edge livers" will give this movie an extra star just for topic alone.)

This film has three pieces of good fortune: The star talent of Dustin Hoffman, the confident direction of Bob Fosse and the cool b&w cinematography of Bruce Surtees. However the pacing is slow and given that we know the pathetic final reel (indeed it is used as the first reel and we work backwards!) it is a slow journey to nowhere all that special.

Lenny loved sleaze. Strippers, dope, stag films, parties that you can't remember much about the next day. All well recorded here. So unlike other comedians who climb the ladder from dive to Broadway we feel sorry for him in success because it took him away from what he loved best. And, as many have found out before and since, if you lash out at society, society will hit back - and you find that society has a lot more weapons than a microphone.

The legal cases give this film a second act, but as I have suggested before, there isn't a third. Bad dope (or a mistake with it) took his life and others took on the baton of what he was trying to do - and to be frank, did it a whole lot better. How ironic that the "black Lenny Bruce" Richard Prior followed his self-destructive model so closely. But Prior could act as well (when given a chance - see him in Blue Collar) and was a wonderful visual comedian. Bruce was, meanwhile, all voice.

Nothing dates quicker than comedy and people that once made the world laugh (such as Chaplin) are now viewed as being anything but funny. The stage act (sometimes viewed in cold detachment from the gods) won't make you laugh, it might make you nod and smile occasionally, but no more.

In reality I feel nothing for LB, he was a minor player in the world of showbiz who made his own choices and took his own risks. The talents and legacy of Fosse and Hoffman will ring on forever - which makes him the third banana in his own life story!


I would just like to say that this movie was great,but you don't have to take my word for it,I not gonna spoil nutin. O.k but I gotta say this,I did not know that Lenny was a real person, Ha,Ha...

I always heard Eddie Murphy say "Hey Lenny Bruce, Man.." and it was funny to me the way he said it. Later on,after trying to find something on TV I saw this movie and was like "oh,this is Lenny Bruce". I was thinking that all this time it was a name Eddie made up. Now it looks like this was his own way of giving Lenny his props or just dues.

So just to add some extra lines to this thing rent this movie,buy this movie or when you see Dustin shake his hand,and tell him good job.


For someone who had directed mostly (if not almost all) musicals throughout his career, and indeed made his name on Broadway before winning his Oscar for Cabaret (beating out Coppola for the Godfather no less), Bob Fosse was the last person I would figure directed a film about the iconoclast comedian Lenny Bruce. If I hadn't known it was him directing it, I would've thought someone from France had been given the controls on the script to make it into new. But 'Lenny' was indeed a Broadway play by Julian Barry, and here he makes it into something that works extremely well cinematically, and at the same time has that appeal of the theater, of that rush that comes from seeing someone like Fosse direct or Bruce on stage. It's a script that fiddles with the time-line of a man from mid-twenties to (tragic) death with interviews after the fact, and for anyone who knows the name and work of Lenny Bruce would do well to see this 'version' of his life.

As usual, the contribution of Dustin Hoffman to the film's success is incalculable. I have seen some footage of Bruce doing his comedy act through the searing documentary Swear to tell the Truth, but even if you haven't seen any footage of Bruce's act (which I'm sure most who were born in my time have not) you can put total belief in Hoffman's portrayal. One of the tenets of Bruce's life and career was that he would be truthful to himself, or at least would have that urge to find the truth early on (during his pre-beat years of the 50's) and then full-blown in the late 50's and especially early 60's. Hoffman, therefore, is very astute in playing this role, how he could find that sense of total absurdity under all the BS, always questioning. And yet, he was also a likely a man with his share of flaws, and a good chunk of the film is about the relationship between him and Honey, his girlfriend-turned-wife. These scenes show Hoffman in a different key than he plays him in the stand-up scenes, and it's terrific.

And also, going back to Fosse, the style is another big factor. The cutting is often startling, skipping along to that jazzy beat that is laid onto the soundtrack (I loved one scene where they show a early 50's party at a 'pad', records being played, grass being rolled, Bruce falling head over heels in a quiet way), and then with the comedy clips especially, we get the best and the worst of what Bruce had to offer, his peak in pointing out things with risqué abandon (and ended up getting him in ridiculous trouble), and downfall into drugs and depression. Every step of the way, it seems, Fosse is keeping up with Hoffman's vitality in this character of Bruce, and while the film provides some laughs, it also works as a serious treatise on what it means to try and have free speech in this country. But the message Bruce wanted to try and get through to the public and to the courts is not what one should focus on completely, and if the film did it would've been a weaker effort. It's strongest as it merges with a full-on character study, as Hoffman and the supporting players (the actress playing Honey Bruce is also very good) put on a certain image of a time and place. One of the best films of 1974.


Tales of Manhattan had a tuxedo. The Dress has a dress. There the similarity ends. What follows if a very smart, often disturbing parade of lives of people who happen to come in contact with a particularly hideous dress. It arouses unexpected, overwhelming lust in some, nothing in others, but it's a sure bet that if you have the dress you're in for something strange and probably not very pleasant.

The intriguing threads that bind this tapestry of frustrated longing together are a failed textile manufacturer and an obssessed ticket taker, who voices the movies' sad and in his case, misapplied motto: "I'm normal!" Here everyone and no one is.

The wit is subtle and sharp as a scalpel. All actors are excellent--especially unnerving is van Warmerdam himself as the doomed ticket taker. Pay very close attention to the faces and names of characters. They are sign posts for things to come.


This is, as another comment already stated, a truly original movie. It's an episode movie, but not Boccaccio-style, tale by tale, the tales are developing from each other, and some characters keep reappearing. There are at least three reasons to love this movie: The performance of the director himself as the psychopathic ticket collector; the short segment showing musical indifferencies between dutch construction workers and Indian immigrants, and the timeless sequence that just hints at a very weird sexual orientation of a designer. This scene reminded me a lot of Bunuel's anarchism, see, i didn't just include his name above to be pretentious. The movie manages to be very funny at times, but some scenes do leave a bad taste in your mouth, without being sentimental or pathetic at any time. I've seen this movie three times now, and not just because i had some pretty bad experiences with ticket collectors and bus drivers too. If you get the chance to see it- Don't miss it.


This is an odd little Dutch movie about a dress, which seems to be the bearer of bad luck for all who come into contact with it. First a man loses his job because he doesn't agree with the choice of design (it's a pretty blue with an odd leaf design). Then a woman who buys it becomes ill, and when the dress is hanging out to dry after washing (apparently she barfed on it) it blows away and ends up in the hands of a young woman who lives with an eccentric painter, who is then set upon by a deranged ticket taker from a train, a bus driver, and then gives up the dress to send to Africa, but it's of course snagged by someone else who cleans it up, trims it a bit, and it ends up on this young lady who also ends up on this train with the deranged ticket taker, who then stalks her to her remote home while her parents are away, etc. etc. There are some quite amusing moments to this, and at other times it's about as strange as can be. This is a dark comedy, and at times it also offers up some social commentary on the homeless and on foreigners. In some ways it reminds me of "Phantom of Liberty" or maybe "The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeosie" (Luis Bunuel) in its episodic style. This odd little film definitely won't be for everyone though, but it's funny and bizarre and even a bit touching at times. 8 out of 10.


The director Alex van Warmerdam is known in Holland for his film "Abel", a comedy about a man who refused to grow up and who still lives with his parents, at the age of 26. The film, "De jurk" (the dress) also starts out like a comedy, but the longer you watch, the less you feel the need to laugh. The lives of unrelated people touch because of the dress and totally unrelated events suddenly fit into the story because of the dress. I could not discover a message in the film, probably because there is none. I found the film very entertaining, but was surprised that it turned out rather black and grim.


This one absurd scene describes this movie at its best: Young woman, sleeping in her bed. Door of her room opens. Strange man walks in and steps into her bed. She wakes up in a state of shock. Man puts hand on het mouth and says: ssssshhhhh... it's ok, don't worry! It's only the ticket taker...


The movie, "Se7en", starring Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, and Gwyneth Paltrow, is by far one of the most inventive, well-written, and cerebral films in recent history. The film, blending a well put together combination of dark visual style, intense plot development, and polished acting, remains tight and focused throughout, from beginning to end, never straying outwards into unimportant issues, or resorting to typical Hollywood clichés. Se7en is uniquely on its own for suspense dramas as it both fuels the need of the audience to be drawn in and entertained by the events unfolding, and remain uncompromising and shocking, thus satisfying the initial vision of the director, David Fincher.

The story surrounds the hunt for a serial killer, who, inspired by Dante Alighieri's seven deadly sins from "The Divine Comedy", sets out to, "preach" about man's impurity, and does so by targeting victims, then torturing them by pitting their own underlining sins against them. Se7en seemingly starts out as a typical cat and mouse detective story, however, it quickly develops into of a sort of modern-myth, with good and evil taking centre stage. The story is original on all counts, and thrilling on all levels. The most important aspect of Se7en, however, is that it keeps the audience numerous steps behind its story, as oppose to other thrillers, which become predictable and bland by the end. By keeping the audience in the dark, the film remains fresh and original as it progresses. Se7en even dramatically turns the tide at one point, just as the audience is finally getting comfortable and asserted into the gloomy atmosphere, thus creating as much as fear and uncertainty in the audience as it is with the characters involved. By the film's conclusion, the audience is as much apart of the film as the characters themselves, and arrive at Se7en's surprise ending without a single clue of it, prior to it occurring. Se7en's poetic ending(which will not be given away) says a lot for the people behind the movie, showing they are not afraid of going against the grain. A rarity with films so nowadays.

Directed brilliantly by David Fincher, and skillfully written by Andrew Kevin Walker, Se7en is well crafted and ingeniously clever, making it one of the greatest films of the 90's. While Se7en may not have garnered critical acclaim as such films as Silence of the Lambs, Se7en is, undoubtedly, as influential as any film to date.

Score 10/10


Seven's quality puts it so far beyond most of the "cops on trail of deranged killer" genre that it comes out as a true jewel of cinema. Everything about seven is perfect. It is art captured on film. This movie is a bright spot for all of the stars who worked on it.

Brad Pitt never gets the credit he deserves for his acting because he's a pretty boy and the press is a lot more interested about how he and Jennifer are doing. That's a shame because he is a talented actor that isn't afraid to take chances with both the roles that he picks and the characters that he plays. That is quite rare in the A-list world. Morgan Freeman is a great actor. You can always count on him to do what he does best which is play a wise veteran that has seen it all. Kevin Spacey is another great actor that has great range and really puts life and personality into his characters.

The real talent of this movie, excluding the actors that brought it to life, is the director David Fincher and the writer Andrew Kevin Walker. Fincher's talents for making a visually stunning film are now well known and he often brings a dark patina to his work. Andrew Kevin Walker must have some incredible demons living inside him. Either that or one hell of an imagination for bringing the intricate story of Seven and the plan of John Doe to life.

John Doe's plan really is twisted and I won't be spoiling it here. Suffice to say I have never seen so evil and complicated a plan in a movie before or since. The cinematography of the film is dark but beautiful and throughout the film it is either night or raining or both except for two very brief moments. It is such an emotional movie that you can't keep from being caught up in what is happening. Do you understand and sympathize with what John Doe is doing or do you think him a mad killer that must be stopped.

Bottom Line: If you haven't had the opportunity to see Seven yet then you must at least rent it. It is so damn good that I know you will like it. The only reason you wouldn't is because you're just too damn fragile to take something this hardcore.


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.


This movie is from start to finish a well produced and directed film. The performances in this movie are outstanding. Brad Pitt, once again, makes his role a stand-out performance by putting his versatile acting skills into his interpretation of Detective David Mills. Morgan Freeman is well-cast. His brooding acting style fits the character (Detective William Somerset) like a glove, and Gwyneth Paltrow gives her best performance EVER in the role of Brad Pitt's supportive wife/lover (Tracy Mills). And of course, Kevin Spacey who plays the diabolical yet misunderstood serial killer.

The movie is suspenseful and in parts very exciting. There is a "Pseudo-Noir" quality to this movie that really fits in well with the content of the film (Serial Killing). It has it's philosophical moments that anyone who thinks a lot about the state of the world today can appreciate. It makes subtle moral judgements without insulting any beliefs that the viewer may have and it also generates debate for any post-film coffee/drinks gathering.

Andrew Kevin Walker (Screenplay) has taken the subject of the Seven Deadly Sins and he really puts a great new twist on these themes. As a writer, I really could appreciate the depth that he goes into with these ideas. The movie gives us just enough information to be entertained and informed yet not bombarded and made bored with too much philosophy. In this respect, the film doesn't "preach" any special meaning even though the film's moral statements are still maintained. This film can be enjoyed on so many levels and I really enjoyed the third act. One of the best pieces of storytelling and scriptwriting ever.

Outstanding performances from everyone involved (And yes, of course, David Fincher does a wonderful job) Say no more. *****


Rarely there has been a movie with such a good dark and chilling atmosphere. I even see this movie more as an horror movie than as a thriller because of that.

"Se7en" is unique in many ways. The movies mood is already set right from the beginning on. The movie starts dark, intense, chilling and mysterious, a mood that is present throughout the entire movie. It's very depressing to watch and I mean that in a positive way of the meaning of the word. The mood is set by good camera work and lighting, or better said, the lack of it. The music from acclaimed composer Howard Shore also adds to the chilling atmosphere.

Unlike many other movies from the same genre, the movie is slow paced and takes it time to develop the characters without falling into some obvious cliche's. The two main characters played by Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt are presented as an unlikely police-couple that are different in many ways from each other but in a way that is also what makes them such a great couple. Brad Pitt for once has the opportunity to play more than just the pretty boy and he does it with success. Kevin Spacey truly plays a bone chilling character, almost just as legendary and chilling as Hannibal Lecter. I would very much like to see the two of them put in the same room, just to see who would make it out alive. Further more it was great to see R. Lee Emrey again as the police captain.

The movie is filled with some truly gross, sickening and horrifying scene's, this seriously ain't no kids stuff! The movie has some of the most sickening murders I have ever seen featured in a movie. But it aren't just only the gross scene's that are good, there are also some scene's that are made with lot's of beauty and profession such as the library scene.

Dark and chilling movie that you will never forget also thanks to the ending which I will not spoil for you. A real must see.

10/10


A stand out film dealing with a particularly unpleasant Serial Killer, "Se7en" (along with "Silence of the Lambs"), is something of a milestone in this genre. An intelligent script, and admirable actors including the excellent Morgan Freeman, Prad Pitt, Gwenth Paltrow and Kevin Spacey, with a cinema noir style, and very grisly murders representing the Seven Deadly Sins. It is the performances however that lifts this movie above the average, Morgan Freeman as the older world wise detective, Pitt almost manic as his young enthusiastic sidekick, Poltrow plays the wife with a fine degree of sensitivity, and Spacey does his usual brilliant psycho routine. There is a pivotal scene with Freeman and Paltrow in a café which shows the depth of performances here. They are believable characters in a dark disturbing world wherein it always seems to be raining. An effective thriller with tight direction and atmospheric photography.


I love psychological thrillers and this is one of the best I've seen. Morgan Freeman was elegant and convincing as a burnt out cop who wanted to retire but found the fascination of the job tough to let go of. Brad Pitt made the transition from cocky new guy to serious cop vry convincingly. And what can I say about Kevin Spacey who is always excellent. (Except to wonder why his name doesn't appear in the opening credits - I looked three times.) And Gwyneth Paltrow as Pitt's wife was as fresh and charming as ever. I truly enjoyed the performances of all the main cast members.

The best part of this film is that even when the killer is caught the suspense isn't over. In fact - it may be just beginning.


In 1995 David Fincher released a perfectly constructed modern masterpiece; Se7en. One of the most exhilarating experiences of all-time and a classic to come.

A cop; Detective David Mills (Brad Pitt) has just moved into the city with his wife, Tracy (Gwyneth Paltrow) in hope of finally settling down. Mills will take over the job of Detective Lt. William Somerset (Morgan Freeman) an old cop who has seven days until his retirement begins. Both are dedicated to the badge. They are put together on the case of an obesity murder, in which a man has been forced to 'eat till he bursts'. This then leads to another murder scene in which a lawyer has bled to death, although the murderer didn't actually use the knife; he made the lawyer do it. This is just the beginning of a mass murder masterpiece crafted by the insane John Doe, brilliantly played by Kevin Spacey.

Whatever you do while watching it, do not see it as hollow. Se7en is far from it. Many scenes study civilisation; present civilisation. And its evil. Our society isn't a pleasant one. The film concentrates mainly on the cops search; when it comes to the mystery part in finding the killer, we discover the policemen's differences in methods, and how the most obvious one does not actually work. Of course, its Somerset, the one with the most experience who has the best way. He tries to find out why. Why some man is killing these people using a specific punishment. While Mills tries, unsuccessfully, to find out how; by studying the crime scene for clues. He ends up bored. With the help of the library, Somerset gets closer to the murderer. It may seem as though the role of Tracey is a pointless part, but she is more important than anything. She is the one who brings the men to being more personal with each other. Notice how in the dinner scene she is the one to introduce them by name. All making the climax tense and difficult.

Mills is the kind of guy to pull his gun out before his torch. He has an arrogant sense of things though is 'by the book' and works. Somerset has never even fired his weapon. He sees the evil round him. And he wants to leave it. Though he is a cop so he has the permission to do something about it. But the problem is, he isn't doing anything about it. John Doe is. The reason why society is evil is because we are allowed to sin. There is now nothing stopping us. It has become a common factor of life. And there should be. That is why John Doe thinks his behaviour is OK. But the problem is he is being stopped instead of the crime out there. This is the harsh reality we live in.

There are seven deadly sins. Gluttony. Greed. Sloth. Pride. Lust. Envy. Wrath. And seven ways to die.

Kevin Spacey is amazing as John Doe, portraying insanity perfectly. One of the greatest supporting performances of all-time already. And he's only in it for half an hour. Brad Pitt delivers a kind of forced performance which adds to the Hollywood effect of the film though I couldn't imagine anyone else for the part. Morgan Freeman played his role with the greatest concentration. Throughout he needed a look of woe on his face. And he did just that.

The writing is extraordinary. The genius, Andrew Kevin Walker took an interesting subject and created an instant classic. But most credit has to go to Fincher. Who took aspects you wouldn't even think of looking at and filming it. Together they project a deep film on our screens that no-one should miss. In one scene near the end, he makes it so when a word is spoken we cut to a character as that gives us clues to their fate. A feast for the brain. One of the most imaginative scripts of the 90s. Fincher also knows exactly how to shoot the film. Whether it be steady-cam for the slow and easy parts or the hand-held camera for the adrenalin pumping scenes.

The cinematography is what makes this an excellent movie. Everything is dark. The world out there is rough, raw, grim and gritty. It does just that. The effect it makes is astounding and truly works. The sinister music that is added keeps the heart pounding throughout and keeps the audience uncomfortable, in a good way. As that's what the film tries to achieve. The opening credits are upon the greatest segment of film I have ever seen. The jumpiness makes you feel uneasy yet intrigued to keep watching. Every scene, due to the effort put in it, is masterful and is what makes the film a joy to watch and observe.

Se7en reveals the best glimpse we have seen of the disturbing underworld. One of my favourites and always will be.

10/10


Despite clichés, and a very depressing finale, this is one of the best-made films of its era and genre.

The strengths of the film include an odd relationship between the two lead cops, who seem loosely based on the two lead cops of the "Lethal Weapon" series, but who (thankfully) never play for laughs, and never really become "buddies" - the young cop is too arrogant, and the older cop has too much experience, which the young cop refuses to acknowledge. The two characters are also brilliantly acted by Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt (probably his best performance).

There's one odd flaw in the film - about half-way through, I found that I had learned to "expect the unexpected" from the film, which meant that the rest of the film was predictable in a bizarre way - simply decide where the expected move would be, and then expect the unexpected move instead. The most obvious instance of this is in the finale itself, which could be guessed at least 5 minutes ahead of time.

Normally, this would be a formula for disaster - but fortunately, the high quality of the film-making twists the film into an edge-of-the-seat suspenseful waiting game as we watch with horror the one cop's encounter with the insanity of pure evil.

I didn't want to admire this film (to be honest, I dislike Brad Pitt something fierce), but I'm afraid I must - very professionally made, it delivers its promised suspense all the way.


Somerset, (Morgan Freeman) a deeply Intellectual Detective, with barely a week left until his retirement and Mills, (Brad Pitt) the new cop in town, who is a pretty weak detective, are thrown together to investigate what at first appears to be another Homicide.

After a second Victim is found, Somerset realises that this is no open and shut case, and requests that he is relieved, in light of his impending retirement. Mills gladly takes over the case and plunges himself in way over his head.

As the work of a Crimally insane genius continues, Mills grows more and more erratic, and Somerset simply has to remain, to guide his young partner through the case, which ultimately leads to one of the finest climax's in movie history.

With Wonderful Performances from both Freeman and Pitt and a really dark and morbid direction from David Fincher, the movie is crammed with suspense, intrigue and Excitement.

My Favourite scene is John Doe (Kevin Spacey) tearing into Mills in the car, driving towards the Climax, the acting is simply perfect as Pitt's character is torn apart by the genius of the Criminally insane, and Freeman interjects with insightful rationality, demonstrating his superior mind. The Scene Carries such intensity, and at the same time encapsulates the primary characters basic elements. Most actors can't achieve this level of character depth, but these are three of the finest actors of our time. 9/10


Se7en is a very complex and deep movie, while also being quite disturbing. Andrew Kevin Walker created one of the most original spec screenplays of all time, but it is the kind of story traditionally used more as a writing sample than actually made into a movie. But the creative team of director David Fincher believed in this extremely dark, uncompromising story, and made it just the way Walker wrote it.

The story revolves around two extremely well-drawn characters, David Mills (Brad Pitt) and William Somerset (Morgan Freeman). In one sense their relationship is the ultimate cliché -- the old veteran cop paired up with the brash rookie (though Mills is not actually a rookie, just new to the unnamed city where the movie takes place). But the contrast between these two characters is played out not for laughs or cheap drama but as the real working out of a moral question. Somerset, the lonely, cynical older detective, cares about people but has seen too much of the dark side of life to have much hope for society. Mills is not as intelligent as Somerset (kudos to Pitt for being willing to play a character that frequently looks foolish), and he lives by a simplistic belief in the power of law enforcement to change the world.

Throughout the movie, the two characters struggle with this conflict -- is human society basically rotten, and can one person do anything to make a difference? Somerset, an intelligent, well-read man, is smart enough to recognize the truth, however painful that is. Mills is the kind of person who has never truly questioned the simple "values" he was raised with. Somerset tries to educate him, tries to warn him, but ultimately fails.

In the end, it is only John Doe, the serial killer, who can teach Mills (and by extension the audience) the truth -- that this world is very often shockingly vicious and senselessly cruel. Doe and Somerset actually have similar views of society and the world, up to a point. But while Somerset still cares about his fellow human beings, Doe hates them, and takes out his rage in a series of gruesome murders based on the seven deadly sins.

This movie is about the investigation Mills and Somerset undertake of Doe's murders, his "sermon" to the world through serial killing. Ultimately, Mills and Somerset can only do so much to try to stop Doe; the killer always seems at least one step ahead of them, and stays that way until the very end of the movie. In a normal Hollywood film, Mills and Somerset would "win" in the end by catching Doe and setting the world right again. But Andy Walker had a quite different ending in mind, and Fincher and his team take the shocking conclusion all the way to the limit of tension and drama.

This movie, like Fincher's "Fight Club," was controversial for being violent and gruesome. Certainly there are a number of gruesome and disturbing images of murder victims' bodies, and many aspects of the story are very troubling, to say the least. But only one person is shown being killed on screen, and by far the worst of what happens in this story happens in the viewer's imagination. Unlike most films that have high levels of violence -- including, for example, Reservoir Dogs or Silence of the Lambs -- this movie genuinely attempts to grapple with the moral implications of what is being shown on screen. In direct contrast with, say Quentin Tarantino, who uses extreme violence for shock effect and to gain notoriety, Fincher actually shows less violence on screen and raises far more probing moral questions in the viewer's mind. I cannot think of any movie that contains as much genuine debate and discussion among the characters about crime and human morality as this one does -- while never becoming dull or preachy for a moment.

I cannot finish this review without a word about Mr. Fincher's extraordinary visual talents. This is a man who ranks with the top handful of directors of all time in his knowledge and grasp of film-making technique. Everything from set design to lighting, selection of film stock and processing techniques, camera movement, frame composition, and editing work together to create an entirely new level of visual brilliance. Fincher's use of technique brings to mind nothing more than the work of Steven Spielberg in the 1970s, the last time a director this extraordinary burst onto the Hollywood scene. A whole generation has passed since then, and there is a new wave of techniques and tools available to the filmmaker of the nineties. Fincher uses every one of these tools to their utmost. The technical work and supporting actors are uniformly superb. This is a movie that works on every level. Andy Walker, having written a mind-blowing screenplay, must have been stunned when he saw the finished film. This movie will rock you to the core.


This is one of those dark movies, where it's constantly raining and wet and where the light always seems to be dim. Appropriately enough, this changes to bright and shimmering heat in the very end. As a kid, I hated dark movies. But perhaps it is appropriate in this case, because Seven attempts to be a statement about humanity: no one is without sin.

The seven deadly sins are gluttony, greed, sloth, pride, lust, envy, and wrath. Prime examples of people committing these are being punished one by one, brutally and efficiently, by a psychopathic killer. Detectives, and reluctant partners, William Somerset (Morgan Freeman) and David Mills (Brad Pitt) are assigned to track down the killer. Needless to say, the job gets accomplished. While some might argue it is done surprisingly, I'd argue otherwise.

For once, I wasn't impressed with Pitt's acting. I thought Freeman did a great job. As usual, the villain, John Doe played by Kevin Spacey, provides a chilling performance, even though he is not given as much center stage as, say, Anthony Hopkins was in Silence of the Lambs. In fact, the whole movie seems to hurry through without giving key characters enough time to build up their emotional worth, particularly Mills' wife Tracy (Gwyneth Paltrow).

In the end, Seven does manage to get its point across effectively. While watching the movie itself, I thought it a bit anti-climatic, but when mulling it over later, the images echo very strongly in my mind. One of the most disturbing films I've seen.


After the Alien-debacle Fincher proved all the critics wrong. This film is one of the best in a genre that hasn't been very innovative for a long time.

Everyone know's the story by now, so I won't waste time telling it. This film was trend setting with it's dark, gritty look and opening sequence. We still see it copied in movies and TV-series today. Everything is great about this film. I guess if anything, the weakest link in the film is Pitt, who is grossly overshadowed by Freeman. But let's not look for flaws when there really aren't any. The script is intelligent and uncompromising. The direction is innovative en daring. The production-design and cinematography are top-notch.

Fincher is one of the big boys in Tinseltown these days. Seven is the reason why.


`Se7en' is all about harsh style and gruesome substance  while it's probably not a film for everyone (particularly the squeamish), it is one of the most moody, memorable films made in recent years. A sense of absolute dread pervades each and every scene, either from the powerful words and deeds of the characters or from the dreary sets and atmosphere created by director David Fincher. There's a quote from the film `The Crow' that goes, `It can't rain all the time' . . . well, in the world of `Se7en', it can  and it does.<br /><br />`Se7en' is the story of world-weary police detective William Somerset (Morgan Freeman), a man who's probably seen more terror and sadness in his lifetime than any man should ever be forced to see. Partnered with the young cop David Mills (Brad Pitt), Somerset is assigned to find the serial killer known only as John Doe. The horrific crimes of Doe are patterned after the Seven Deadly Sins  for Gluttony, one victim was literally forced to eat until his internal organs exploded; for another, Greed, the victim is forced to cut an actual pound of flesh away from his own body. John Doe is a highly literate, intelligent killer; but so is Somerset, and an astounding game of cat-and-mouse filled with unexpected twists ensues as the hunt for Doe gets underway.

Andrew Kevin Walker's script for `Se7en' is absolutely dazzling. It's smart and powerful, and doesn't pull any punches  the bodies, maimed and tortured, inexorably begin to pile up in graphic fashion, and Somerset and Mills aren't allowed to minimize the horrors they're forced to find. Each new corpse brings a true feeling of revulsion . . . and of dread, as the realization hits that another body will be forthcoming unless John Doe is found. The story is filled with misdirection and red herrings; just as the audience starts to think that the unfolding events of the film are starting to become predictable, the film lurches further into the unknown darkness, keeping the edge of uneasiness that pervades `Se7en' fresh . . . and constant. Kudos also to David Fincher's stylish direction  this may be Fincher's best film to date. The entire look of the film is dark and gloomy, almost a suicidal form of 1940s film noir, evoking a despairing atmosphere that never relents or shows a glimmer of optimism. Combine that with Fincher's knack for turning even the most mundane scene into a nailbiter  `Se7en' features a scene with Somerset and Mills standing together in an empty field, and yet the scene is still incredibly tense  and `Se7en' becomes an exceptionally powerful, disturbing film that's difficult to turn away from.

The cast? Also excellent. Pitt is perfect as the cocky young detective Mills, mixing together the right amount of bravado and testosterone at the start of the film, and then later tempering that swagger with cynicism  and fear  as the movie progresses forward. In a way, Mills is a surrogate for the audience; he starts out thinking that he knows exactly what's going to happen but as events slowly unfold before his horrified eyes, it starts to dawn on Mills that he is mentally unprepared he is for a maniac like John Doe. Pitt handles the decline of Mills from overconfident to completely paranoid with great skill. The killer John Doe (I won't reveal his name here; the actor's uncredited in the film, so I won't mention it either on the off chance that you haven't read it elsewhere) is simply great. He's a quiet, intense figure who is Machiavellian with his calculated words and actions. Many other actors might've just mimicked Hannibal Lecter to portray John Doe . . . but the awesome performance in `Se7en' of the uncredited actor is actually better  and more unsettling  than Lecter himself. The best performance of the film, however, may belong to Morgan Freeman as Somerset. Freeman is perhaps the only person capable to tracking down John Doe, simply because he has seen so much sadness and horror before. Nothing Doe does, no matter how vile, is able to derail the detective's efforts. As Somerset, Freeman imbues the character with a certain tired, weary attitude . . . but still lying somewhere beneath that attitude is hope, and that small glimmer of hope, along with the wisdom of experience, is what prevents `Se7en' from spiraling into complete despair. Somerset's hope, small as it is, becomes the audience's hope as well.

With the possible exception of the very end of the film  for all its daring audacity, Fincher chooses to play it a little too safe at the film's conclusion  `Se7en' proves to be an uncompromising tour de force of modern horror. If you're not easily bothered by graphic horror and gore, then go watch this film. You certainly won't be disappointed. Grade: A


At first, I was a little hesitant about taking time out of my life to see Seven. I mean, I am a busy person... but this film was well worth my time... Perhaps the best Brad Pitt film that I have seen, this film involves two detectives (Pitt and Freeman) going after a delusional killer (Kevin Spacey) who murders his victims according to the seven deadly sins: gluttony, greed, lust, etc... Spacey takes pride in his killings and leaves clues for the police, similar to "Son of Sam" killer David Berkowitz when he murdered six women in New York City in the 1970's ("Summer of Sam"= another great film)... This was an intense thriller that had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish...

Movies generally take a lot to keep me interested, and I am generally a fan of comedies and action flicks. But Seven was different.... it was a fantastic thriller that kept you thinking and waiting to see what happens as Pitt and Freeman chase down the barbaric killer who feels that he is doing "God's deed"... This film is a must-see!! My only regret is that I had did not see it until 10 years after its theatrical release... Please feel free to email me with any questions or comments...


It is a rarity for a film to be completely unsettling and yet unrelentingly gripping.

David Fincher's story takes place in a bleak and constantly raining city (never named) where urban decay and sleaze in all forms are rampant. Coming up to his retirement from the police force is Detective Lieutenant Somerset (Morgan Freeman) who is tasked with breaking in his replacement, Detective Sergeant Mills (Brad Pitt) before leaving. Somerset is world weary, under no illusions about the futility of the daily role he plays and (initially) wants nothing more than to escape the grime and violence of the city. Mills on the other hand is convinced that he is going to make a real difference having voluntarily transferred to this precinct, bringing his wife to the city with him. Before Somerset can move on, a homicide comes in which he and Mills are assigned to investigate. But its only the first of a string of ritual murders that will be committed by a killer who is basing his crimes on the seven deadly sins as depicted in Dante's "The divine comedy".

To begin with, Se7en appears to be a standard "cops on the trail of a killer" story which shouldn't be too difficult for the audience to get comfortable with. But as we descend along with the characters into the merciless, brutal world without hope that they inhabit, you are left reeling at the events that unfold.

The two detectives enjoy an uneasy relationship with no real friendship ever striking up between them. The older Somerset is educated, astute and gives the impression of being emotionally burnt out. Mills, who has no respect for Somersets methodical investigating methods gets excited at the thought of solving a murder and firmly believes that the good guys will win eventually. The further we get into the action, the might of the evil that they face pushes both men beyond their limits.

This film draws heavily on biblical themes and you can certainly see similarities with such films as "The Seventh Seal" (1957). Both films show the price that good men have to pay when they fight evil and the unsettling truth that the rule book goes straight out the window when you are dealing with something so diabolical that it has no boundaries or limits at all.

Se7en shows us a world which has been destroyed by its own sins, a wasteland in which values are minimal. The killer, having nothing but contempt for this world, sees it as his mission to expose the faults and show everyone what they have become. It is a fascinating twist that when the killers motives become clearer, Somerset with his greater understanding actually feels some degree of empathy with him. This is lost on Mills though, whose level of clarity never reaches the same level.

A previous reviewer mentioned that you begin to expect the unexpected whilst watching Se7en and i completely agree. Eventually if you think of the most obvious outcome in any situation and predict that the opposite will happen, it usually does. Even the finale itself became kind of predictable because by then you are conditioned not to have any hope. This is a minor flaw though because the story is so well and so shockingly told.

Director David Fincher didn't pick up another script for 18 months, such was his exhaustion and frustration following the completion of Alien 3. Apparently he agreed to direct se7en after one reading of Andrew Kevin Walkers screenplay because he was drawn to its hard hitting delivery about inhumanity. He stated: "It's psychologically violent. It implies so much, not about why you did but how you did it". For the camera work specially altered film stock was used to make the visuals look as dark and unsettling as possible which is complemented well by Howard Shores music score.

The Most disturbing message that Se7en puts across, is that the fight against evil is destined to be a Pyrrhic victory. But regardless the only thing we can do is fight on whatever the cost. We have no other choice.

"The World is a fine place and worth fighting for." I agree with the second part.


When audiences went to see the latest production of a tragedy by William Shakespeare at the Globe Theatre, there was a universal reaction by the spectators to what they were seeing on the stage. It was one of sadness, anger, sympathy and relief. The sadness was normally due to the innocent victim (who was usually a beautiful woman) being murdered in an unjustified fashion, such as Desdemona in 'Othello'; the anger would have been directed towards the villain in the play whose dastardly deeds had resulted in the deaths of heroes and heroines - here we have Iago, arguably the most evil character in the history of literature ('Othello' again); sympathy was not for the devil, but for the poor people who had overcome the denouement but had to deal with its consequences (Horatio perhaps in 'Hamlet', or maybe Father Laurence in 'Romeo and Juliet'); and lastly relief was felt because the audience had survived the play's violence and could thank their lucky stars that they did not have to live in a world so cruel. Now stay with me here, because there is, in fact, a point to all of this. I believe that Fincher's 'Seven' is the modern Shakespearean tragedy, the modern 'Titus Andronicus', if you will. The feeling that washes over you when the credits roll in Seven (which are damn good credits I might add, start and finish) is on a par with a great Shakespearean tragedy, and it is for this reason why I think that films such as Seven should be considered as more serious in a literary sense. Not only that, but the film even introduces the audience to legendary texts such as Dante's 'Inferno' and Geoffrey Chaucer's 'The Canterbury Tales' - so I would be inclined to try and influence more English professors to watch this film.

Now here's the part where I say 'Yeah Seven, woo, it's awesome! Yeah!'. I'm just going to go out and say it: this film has everything that you could possibly be looking for when watching a movie. The script, for one, is great. Original, funny in places, exciting, sexy...the list is endless really. Well played Andrew Kevin Walker; the boy done good. Next we have the acting which, to put in a Romantic sense, is sublime: people may argue that Morgan Freeman can only play one character, but I think it's similar to the situation with Hugh Grant (his one persona may be a bumbling, lovable fool, but he is damn good at it) and it's the same for Morgan. Here he is at his fatherly, worldly-wise detective best, and the comic double act of Freeman and Pitt is essential to the film. Pitt's performance is probably just about overshadowed by his portrayal of Tyler Durden in Fincher's other chef d'oeuvre 'Fight Club', but in no way is this a demeaning statement to Pitt. He is, or was, one of my favourite 'younger' actors (that's the Ed Norton, Johnny Depp ring, as opposed to the Pacino/De Niro/Hoffman circle of expertise) until 2005 came about - Ocean's 12, to put it mildly, disappointed me greatly. However, let's think positively: with Seven and Fight Club and Snatch, I'm sure Brad has something in store for fans like me. Gwyneth Paltrow is probably the unsung hero, or heroine, of the film and ironically she's the one who gets it worst (or does she? Refer back to tragedy point about sympathy). The words 'never better' spring to mind when thinking about Paltrow's 'Tracey'. There's someone else I'm not mentioning here, despite the 'contains spoiler' tick, but let's just say he/she/it provides, in my eyes, the greatest twist OF ALL TIME. Last but not least, David Fincher is where it's at. His undoubtedly cool style is the reason why this film is so...cool, for want of a better word. Thanks to him, Morgan Freeman is cool, Gwyneth Paltrow is cool, the man who works in that horrible place where the 'Pride' crime takes place is cool, even the man/woman/thing with no name is cool (to a certain extent).

To conclude, there are certain films that when the credits appear at the end, you think to yourself 'That has to be the best movie I've ever seen'. 'Reservoir Dogs' and 'L.A. Confidential' are prime examples. In my opinion, 'Seven' epitomises this type of film.


Watched that noir horror movie Se7en on the weekend because I was stuck in a household without many commercial-free alternatives. I normally don't go for grisly films, especially those with Brad Pitt, but since it had such a good write up on rottentomatoes, and I am such a bad movie theater goer these days, I couldn't really pass it up - even if it meant sitting through almost 30 minutes of commercials as is wont on New Zealand TV. I thought it was rather wonderfully done, despite the grisliness. It's not often that you get Dante and Chaucer as major plot references in Hollywood films these days. (If you don't want to watch the film, there is a highly readable film script). You can't but admire the tenacity and the complete obsession of John Doe with his project. I had him down as an Asperger's Syndrome guy right away but I was unsure about his priorities. I mean, we can all empathize with getting a pound of flesh back out of a greedy lawyer, but why did the prostitute have to die? She wasn't the one guilty of lust, her johns are and they got away with only a knife dildo strapped to their groin. And why did he think sloth the worst of all the deadly sins? The victim took a whole year to die a particularly slow and nasty death - much worse than Jesus in The Passion - while the others were dispatched relatively quickly. I still can't take Brad Pitt seriously, but Kevin Spacey has surely deserved his place among the screen's worst baddies.


I know. All of the previous comments told you all. But I want to say something of my own.

This great thriller will live longer indeed. For a lot of reasons. The one I want to talk about here is the strong focusing on the characterization firstly in this script. Because this is something really rare in any of the American thrillers nowadays.

Here you have 2 points of view come from 2 different generations or simply 2 kinds of human beings.

The first is (David Mills/Brad Pitt) who is so rash, tense, running mostly after his sensations and always relies on the photos, the shape of things. But despite his true zeal, courage, and idealism he is so unwise and very impetuous who could easily hurt or lose himself. He is too weak to wait justice, so he goes and gets it by his hand because he is a slave for his excitability.. his emotionality.

The other one (William Somerset/Morgan Freeman) is an earlier generation who had all the goodness and rationality. Being so discreet, relies on the books, and a real cold proficient expert. This one is not perfect also ! He is too enfeeble to stand love or its pain, responsibilities, or even its loss. So there is no joyful thing about his life nor lasting thing in his life !

Both of them make together one hell of a perfect unit (so they succeed in pursuit the killer). But HEY, it's not (lethal weapon) here. So you'll have them both at variance, too contradictory and the only clear medial between them was the first's wife. Therefore when she died (and Brad Pitt went and killed the killer) the borderline already ended and there is no medial no more ! So separation became the fate.

They are two very irreconcilable ways, or persons, or feelings : the love which kills the fear (so Brad Pitt lost his life), and the love which is killed by fear (so Morgan Freeman is losing his own)!! And as for (John Doe/Kevin Spacey) the limit is pushed in the extreme; so he had his fear or his love or maybe both killed too long ago. He was despising the extremism of the human lusts because he wasn't one. He lost his humanity completely. Therefore he became a killing machine, a loose madness, or the extremism itself.

Balance between your love and your fear or you'll be the killer and the victim ! That's one premise which will make this film live for so many upcoming generations.


After the failure of "Alien 3", David Fincher held his breath for three years and made a new start with "Se7en". His signature style of direction is all over it. This is one of the best serial killer movies ever made.

The plot explores the extreme pitch-black side of the human psyche and was entirely the creation of one writer. Andrew Kevin Walker, conceived, a disturbing story of a serial killer who murders all his victims in the style of the seven deadly sins.

"Se7en" is definitely the film that kick-started Fincher's career. Had he made "The Game" right after "Alien 3", there would have been no "Fight Club", or "Panic Room".

Pitt and Freeman deliver great performances. 8/10


warning:if you choose to watch this movie,know that you will enter on a dark and twisted journey.David Fincher directs this film,which concerns a serial killer who executes people,using the seven deadly sins as justification.though there are some horrific and graphic images here,there real genius of this movie is it's implied horror.this movie will leave you with an impact long after the end credits have rolled.David Fincher directs this intense psychological suspense thriller.Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt play two detectives on the trail of the killer.Freeman plays veteran Detective Lt. William Somerset,on the verge of retirement,after this case.Pitt plays rookie detective Detective David Mills.Kevin Spacey also stars in a powerful performance that is mesmerizing.this is one of the best movies of this genre i have seen so far.if you are not affected by this movie,i'd be surprised.for me,Se7en is easily a 10/10


Se7en is an excellent thriller. Sure, it might be a little bit over-stylized and the ending is not quite as logical as it seems to be at first, but none of that disturbs the experience of watching this film.

Every aspect of it is superb, the writing, the actors, the editing, the sound, the music, the direction.

I am not going to repeat the plot yet again.

I just want to point out what makes this film so special: It stays with you. After the first viewing, the images are burnt into your head, the ending leaves you drained and broken and you will think about it for days. Even though the effect wears off after repeated viewing, you can always remember the way you felt after your first experience with this movie. it is so strong that you can even remember it if someone just mentions its name. It is the kind of movie of which you never forget where you saw it first, who was with you and what it was like. I watched it in a cinema 13 years ago and can still remember the exact mood of that evening.

This, in my opinion, is the greatest accomplishment a film can achieve.