Morgan Freeman names his favourite Brad Pitt movie
Actors praising their co-stars is nothing new, but it often raises curiosity about what they truly think of each other’s work. Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman, two of the biggest names in entertainment, starred together in the 1995 thriller Se7en, playing a pair of seasoned homicide detectives. Their chemistry is one of the standout elements in a film filled with shocking twists and turns.
One might think that after starring in a film of that calibre, Freeman would look back on it as his favourite work of Pitt’s. I mean, the film is a masterpiece, and many modern thrillers today can’t hold a torch to it, but no. Freeman is incredibly fond of his collaboration with Pitt, but when interviewed in 2007, the veteran actor touched on a very different film of Pitt’s with a few fond words.
When asked about his thoughts on Pitt’s epic western The Assassination of Jesse James, which was released that year, Freeman lauded the film, stating that he was “blown away” and that “I had to keep rewinding it and watching it over because I felt I was missing things; it was so rich.” High praise indeed, and we must say, props to Freeman’s stamina for managing multiple watches in the same calendar year of what is an incredibly slow-burn film.
The Assassination of Jesse James is an incredible revisionist take on one of the Wild West’s (the actual American frontier, not the god-awful Will Smith outing) most iconic outlaws. It received some pretty solid reviews upon release, but its appeal has only increased over time thanks to Pitt and co-star Casey Affleck’s complex performances and stunning cinematography from Roger Deakins.
However, this is not the only time Freeman has praised the productions of his former costar or, indeed, the most recent. Taking to Twitter in 2021, Freeman very proudly stated that Pitt’s swords and sandals epic Troy was one of his favourites, and well, there can be no arguments there from us. Bringing an armada of sex appeal, arrogance and athleticism to his performance as the fabled Greek hero Achilles, Pitt goes all out in this role as one of the cornerstone performers in what is undoubtedly one of the greatest adaptions of Homer’s Illiad.
Packed out by a cast for the ages, including scene-stealing performances from Brian Cox, Eric Bana and Peter O’Toole, this is, again, another revisionist film of Pitt’s where his brutal Achilles and the Greeks, who he fights alongside, are portrayed far more villainously then in previous adaptions. For those who haven’t seen it, the director’s cut is a must-watch for a definitive view of the film.
Was that the cut Freeman was referring to in his tweet? The theatrical version isn’t anything to be sniffed at, but as a self-confessed fan of the ancient world, surely Freeman would prefer watching more of his co-star’s Olympian physique on screen?
