Probably his iconic voice, which has become such an American treasure that its become almost a parody of itself, hence its presence in the blockbuster animated film The Lego Movie, the broad comedy Ted 2 and the most recently in the preludes of Dave Chappelle's excellent new stand-up specials on Netflix.
But Freeman is much more substantial than his admittedly terrific set of pipes. At 79, he is something akin to a cinematic institution, and he remains an appealing box office draw in an era when starpower has become a decidedly less vital fixture in Hollywood successes.
He was, ostensibly, the most recognizable human in both the Dolphin Tale and Now You See Me movies. And this weekend, he appears in what critics are widely calling a forgettable remake of the likable 1979 codger-caper film Going In Style.
Sure, Freeman scored a lead Oscar nod for his work in 2009's Invictus, but for nearly the last 20 years or so he seems to be content on coasting on his formidable gravitas.
Which is kind of a shame because although Freeman is a big-screen star very late in his life (his breakout role came exactly thirty years ago, when he would have been pushing 50), he can be one of the most interesting, unorthodox movie stars in film history when a part has really challenged him.
I have often thought it'd be interesting if Freeman played more roles closer to his real life persona -- no nonsense, irascible and outspoken. Instead, for whatever reason, he has delivered unassailable but largely supporting performances as avuncular father figures in movies like The Dark Knight films or literally as God in Bruce Almighty and Evan Almighty.
In Gone Baby Gone, he played a surprisingly complex, nuanced character, that I thought showed interesting new shades to his persona. The same goes for one of his most underrated roles -- 2000's Nurse Betty -- where he played an eccentric hitman who develops an unrequited crush for his prey.
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| Street Smart |
More often than not he is paired opposite a younger, white co-star who he can mentor. Some of these films (Seven, The Shawshank Redemption) are quite great, and Freeman's authority and specificity elevates what could be a thankless role into a sublime one.
I remember being particularly taken with his work in Glory, which is by any standard an ensemble film (in which Denzel Washington has the showiest role). Freeman, however, stands out as a natural leader among men whose very manhood has been suppressed for years.
And in Unforgiven, while he is once again sidled with a sidekick role opposite Clint Eastwood, his more vivacious, modern gunslinger helps put Eastwood's in context.
Freeman finally won a long deserved Oscar for his wonderful, solid supporting work in Million Dollar Baby, where he effectively lost himself in the role of a not-as-washed-up-as-you'd-think former boxer, but somehow the prize felt like too little too late.
As he reaches more advanced age and continues to deliver swan-song type performances, I hope people will make an effort to see him as more than the kindly geezer who narrated March of the Penguins, and instead appreciate the versatile and capable character actor he really was.
He's on full display in the ripe-for-remake 1987 Street Smart. It's a far from perfect movie about a journalist who makes up a story about a black pimp to enhance his career only to have a real life one (played to terrifying effect by Freeman) seek him out to be his alibi in a criminal proceeding.
Freeman is a force to be reckoned with throughout the movie, and scary in a way like he never was before or since. Hollywood wasn't prepared for what he was bringing to the table at the time. But we still can look back in awe of who he was and is now.
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