Fresh

There is much to say about Mimi Caves’ Fresh, though not to be confused with the 1994 film Fresh directed by Boaz Yakin, starring Samuel L. Jackson. This dark comedy turned thriller features Marvel Cinematic Universe star Sebastian Stan, alongside the somewhat new to the screen Daisy Edgar-Jones (Normal People, War of The Worlds TV Series). The two perform wonderfully together in this attentively crafted film that explores the horrors of modern dating and the problems that arise. Jones plays Noa, a young woman traversing the usual strides of dating around, looking for someone to fit her preferences throughout the sea of impudent men. But it’s during the gray area of dating she ambiguously meets Steve, a more than charming man to sweep Noa off her feet, but it doesn’t take long for Noa to discover the daunting secret he’s keeping. At first glance, the plot comes across as linear and less than multi-faceted, which you would be right to assume but it is the talent of Mimi Cave that brings life to a potentially one-dimensional story to bring a captivating thriller.  

The film starts off strong, introducing Jones’ character and her predicament quickly but without the sense that the film is rushing. It’s a quaint beginning to a harrowing journey, as the film aims to seduce the audience with its precise selection of music to fit scenes perfectly while also emphasizing specific sounds and colors to match the tone. And speaking of tone, I would say the Cave nearly perfects the tone, as well as the tonal shifts splendidly, by subtly pushing the film smoothly to slowly build a great mixture of tension and curiosity of what might happen next. The nearly 2-hour film is certainly captivating, making it difficult to peer away from the screen, and it’s many of the performances that deliberately draw attention to the well-written screenplay. It is Jones’ performance nearly carrying the film, capturing the sheer intensity and raw mental anguish. Her immensely raw and realistic performance is undoubtedly noteworthy and it’s her performance that pushes the film further down the track of realism. Sebastian Stan, on the other hand, is not the worst part of the film, as a matter of fact, he played the part of Stan adequately, but it was not the above and beyond performance, I was hoping to see as to match the portrayal of Jones’ character. Though I must say, Stan does fit well, and the chemistry is convincing, and his performance is slightly reminiscent of the character Patrick Bateman in the well-crafted cult classic American Psycho (2000) directed by Mary Harron. Though it’s not to say the character writing is perfected since for the most part, the film doesn’t offer much character development or more than a few strong character moments. 

But what’s most delectable about this conceptually unique film is the comedic and very entertaining screenwriting by Lauryn Khan. Within each scene, twisted humor is towered high, creating an uneasy feeling for the most part that strongly matches the tone and vibe the film is going for. And the quality of writing overall stays consistently well done other than the third act of this film which does suffer from some cliche ill-advised moments. It’s the first two acts that will truly win you over as it bides its time and patiently establishes the environment, using slight fish-eyed camera work to convey the slight uncomfortableness our protagonist is put through.

As a matter of fact, the entire visual design is completely entrancing, utilizing small glints within shots while also pushing the camera uneasily close to characters almost constantly, all the while, sound mixing plays its part effectively by dialing the sounds of eating to 10. And what many will find impressive about Mimi Caves’ work on this film is how well she blends genres to not only successfully create convincing tension but also inject black humor in a manner that comes off as fitting. There are moments and scenes where the common joke or two is spent but overall, the humor is kept subtle and charming for the most part. Fresh is by no means a perfected film, but it is the fact that there is no one failure of a technical aspect, each facet pertaining to the making of this film is above adequacy. Its detailed work can be appreciated to a certain degree, and it is without a doubt engaging for a majority of the time. 

In the end, Fresh becomes a well-written, satisfyingly blended thriller film to please and entertain many looking for detailed work that will please on almost every level. The superb performances mixed with technical features will more than please anyone who may have enjoyed American Psycho and Chris Peckovers’ underrated horror film, Better Watch Out. The enjoyable film is made to captivate and amuse, which Caves and Khan do both very well. Be ready to watch, or rather, consume this appetizing film that meets expectations on numerous levels. Fresh sticks the landing and executes its concept delicately.