Morgan Freeman is synonymous with versatility. The veteran actor is well-regarded for his distinctive deep baritone and knack for acting. With an illustrious career of over five decades, several awards and accolades validate this Academy Award-winning legend’s genius.
Freeman studied theatre and appeared in various stage plays. Mainly known for his role in the 1970s children’s TV series The Electric Company, Freeman was a regular in different Shakespearean plays. He earned his breakthrough in the 1987 film Street Smart which also bagged him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
Freeman has appeared in a series of popular films, including Lean on Me, Driving Miss Daisy, Unforgiven, The Shawshank Redemption, Se7en, Amistad, Million Dollar Baby, Invictus, etc. Driving Miss Daisy earned him his first Academy Award nomination for Best Actor, being one of the five nominations he has. He won the coveted gong for his supporting role in Clint Eastwood’s 2004 film Million Dollar Baby.
While Freeman has never shied away from any role, he has appeared in particular films that have not been as well-received, irrespective of his screen time. Within his vast filmography, some underrated flicks suddenly find their place on Netflix shelves and become increasingly popular with the audience.
One such underrated Morgan Freeman film on Netflix is the 2000 crime thriller Under Suspicion, which has caught the audience’s fancy.
Based on John Wainwright’s 1970s British novelBrainwash and the subsequent 1981 French film Garde a vue, this American-French film is directed by Stephen Hopkins. It stars Gene Hackman, Monica Bellucci and Thomas Jane alongside Freeman.
A dark and brutal exploration of Suspicion, murder and belief, the film was screened at the 2000 Cannes Festival.
Gloomy and grim, the film stars Hackman as an affluent attorney in Puerto Rico who is unexpectedly called in for police interrogation before an annual festival. The rape and murder of a young girl with whom Hackman seemingly has no connection form the crux of this drama.
Freeman serves as a detective who suspects him. Despite pressure from his superiors, new developments come to light. Bellucci and Hackman are in an estranged marriage where the man indulges in watching extremely young women on sites while the wife is accused of having an affair.
After a pretty bleak climax and a shocking ending that questions faith and relationships, the film ends on a scathing note. Although Under Suspicion was a failure at the box office, Netflix viewers have showered the movie with love, and the film has often reached the Top 10s chart.
Watch Under Suspicion on Netflix now.
