A one-of-a-kind allegorical delicacy, Fresh revels in taboo subjects to poke fun at the stomach-churning appetites of the modern dating world. A delirious mash-up of cheesy romance and body horror shlock, the debut film from Mimi Cave begins in deliciously grotesque fashion, showing flashes of both American Psycho and Martyrs as her devilish meat-cute puts a dark spin on the idea of “finding the right guy”. Overnight, chemistry and flirtation turns to imprisonment and cannibalism, giving new meaning to the phrase “eating butt.”
Already picked up by Searchlight for an exclusive Hulu debut, Fresh takes its cues from the best kind of dates, starting slowly and building carefully up to the madness that lies within. Not quite desperate but looking for companionship, Noah (Daisy Edgar-Jones) is keen on finding Mr. Right. She puts herself through the gauntlet of online dating to uncover that right match but has yet to find success. To find someone truly fresh.
A series of disastrous dates. A meet cute at a grocery store. A new relationship that’s obviously too good to be true. Noah meets Steve (Sebastian Stan), falling prey to his smoky sexual charms before actually falling prey to him in a cabin in the woods and becoming a meal ticket of sorts. At his reclusive hideaway, Steve informs Noah, “I’ll tell you what’s going to happen, but you’re not going to like it.”
Cave’s self-assured filmmaking at times suggests Fresh is more than meats the eye. Her direction is notable, marked by strong character work, striking framing, and masterful cinematography from Pawel Pogorzelski (Hereditary, Midsommar). As Cave’s feature puts audiences through the meat grinder, Fresh ends up being a bit of a bait and switch. There’s nothing truly transcendent or urgent to be found in this satirical send-up of the terrors of algorithmic dating.
Rather, it’s an impressively-crafted B-movie skinned with the trappings of elevated horror. Perhaps the biggest problem facing Fresh is that it can’t quite stick to one tone, waffling between deadly serious and tongue-in-cheek loosely, and loses some of the impact and goodwill it carefully builds up as it stumbles its way to a mediocre finish line.
As the seductively evil Steven, Sebastian Stan embraces his dark side, giving off total Ted Bundy meets Patrick Bateman vibes. Flanking him, Daisy Edgar-Jones (Normal People) confidently embodies a woman unwilling to let herself go to pieces, who will do whatever it takes to survive. Noah proves she will stomach horrible things to earn back her freedom as Fresh tilts towards commentary about gender power dynamics and the dating world’s demand for its pound of flesh.
CONCLUSION: Mimi Cave takes a stab at the minefield of modern dating with ‘Fresh’, a schlocky cannibal romance send-up cemented by strong turns from Sebastian Stan and Daisy Edgar-Jones.
B
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By: Matt Oakes
Started blogging about film in college when the university paper wouldn’t have him. Dislikes your consensus film Twitter favorites. Devotee of horror movies that make him die a little inside. Catches films at festivals when he can. Proud SFCS and OFCS member and Tomatometer-approved critic. Editor-in-chief of Silver Screen Riot.
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