Sundance Review: FRESH is an Insanely Sinister Thriller Filled with Deliciously Dark Surprises
I’m grateful that I’m married and that I don’t have to navigate the modern world of dating with all these different apps and websites that are out there to get people to hook up. It was so much simpler over 20 years ago when you talked to people in real life.
Fresh is a film that focuses on a young woman named Noa who is getting tired of meeting people through dating apps. Then one day, things take a turn for her as she meets a man named Steve in a grocery store the old-fashioned way, by actually meeting and talking with someone in the real world. The man she meets ends up being silly and charming, and after meeting up for a date, she feels like she’s finally made a real connection with someone.
As they are dating, Steve asks Noa on a weekend getaway, and it’s at this point where some crazy shit starts to go down. It turns out that Steve isn’t all he’s cracked up to be, and he's the absolute worst possible person she could possibly have met, and she ends up in a hellish nightmare. The movie goes from being an absolutely charming romantic comedy to an unsettlingly sinister horror movie.
The movie was directed by Mimi Cave and stars Daisy Edgar-Jones (Normal People) as Noa and Sebastian Stan (The Falcon and The Winter Soldier) as Steve. They both give incredible performances, and they have great on-screen chemistry with each other. The movie definitely doesn’t fit the norm as the title and opening credits aren't even introduced until about 35 minutes into the movie.
Sebastian Stan is absolutely terrifying in the film. He plays one hell of an evil individual, and his character's motivations in the film are absolutely horrific. He puts this poor young woman through the worst hell she could possibly imagine. I mean, this movie is jet black and there are parts where my jaw just dropped to the floor in horror. Seriously though, when you think things couldn’t get any worse, they totally do and it’s super jacked up.
I would really love to tell you what happens, but I don’t want to ruin the surprises that are in store for you if you choose to watch it. The story takes some unexpected twists and turns, and the whole attitude of the film feels so demented and sick. The story leads to one hell of an insane, intense, and wicked ending.
I thought the movie was great, which, I guess, means I must be a sick and twisted individual. This was just such an entertaining film because you never knew what was going to happen next. But, damn, this was an insane film, and easily one of the best I’ve seen at Sundance this year. But, it's not for everyone. The subject matter is sure to turn some people off.
Here’s the description for the film that was provided by Sundance:
Frustrated by scrolling dating apps only to end up on lame, tedious dates, Noa takes a chance by giving her number to the awkwardly charming Steve after a produce-section meet-cute at the grocery store. During a subsequent date at a local bar, sassy banter gives way to a chemistry-laden hookup, and a smitten Noa dares to hope that she might have actually found a real connection with the dashing cosmetic surgeon. She accepts Steve’s invitation to an impromptu weekend getaway, only to find that her new paramour has been hiding some unusual appetites.
FRESH is an intoxicating ride, nesting a penetrating thriller about the perils women face on the modern dating scene within a ferocious allegory for the commodification of their bodies. Director Mimi Cave’s feature debut brings Lauryn Kahn’s shrewd, witty script to the screen with a knowing zeal, deploying a soundtrack of retro deep-cut bangers to highlight the film’s over-the-top verve. Daisy Edgar-Jones captivates as Noa, who defiantly turns her vulnerabilities into strengths, while Sebastian Stan delivers a deliciously wicked performance as the roguish Steve.