User reviews

As "Fresh" (2022 release; 115 min.) opens, we got to know Noa, a twenty-something woman who is not having much luck on the dating scene. Then one night she gets to know a guy while at the grocery store. They hit it off, and before we know it, they are off on a weekend vacation...

Couple of comments: this is the feature length debut of director Mimi Cave. Equally important, this is written by Lauryn Kahn ("Ibiza"). The way the movie is described by IMDb is utterly and completely misleading. This movie is not about "the horrors of modern dating". This is an outright scary movie, and a startling and disturbing one at that. I had no inkling whatsoever what was about to unfold. The movie is plot heavy so I really can't say much more about that. Even though the movie is unsettling, I will also say that this is one of the better movies I have seen so far this year. The two lead performances from Sebastian Stan (whom we saw most recently in "Pam & Tommy"), and British up-and-coming actress Daisy Edgar-Jones, are tops. Kudos must go to both Lauryn Kahn (for coming up with this idea) and Mimi Cave (for implementing into onto the screen). As a complete aside, I recently saw "Drive My Car", where the opening credits started rolling 40 min into the movie, something I cannot recall having ever seen before. Well, guess what: the opening credits for "Fresh" start rolling only about 35 min into it!

"Fresh" premiered at this year's Sundance film festival, and not even two months later, it started streaming on Hulu. If you are in the mood for a scary movie that is at times disturbing and unsettling, I'd readily suggest you check this out, and draw your own conclusion.

8/10 - Daisy Edgar-Jones, Sebastian Stan, and Jojo T. Gibbs all turn in solid performances in this unique, wonderfully weird, slightly repulsive, and entrancing horror comedy (with a fantastic payoff) that is perfect for fans of fellow Searchlight release, Ready or Not.

A refreshingly unpredictable and off-kilter debut feature from director to watch Mimi Cave, Fresh is a horror hybrid with killer energy and memorable lead turns from its main duo Daisy Edgar-Jones and Sebastian Stan, as the two play their parts in a depraved and gripping tale that refuses to play to convention as Edger-Jones Noa finds herself in a whole new world when she begins dating Stan's charismatic doctor Steve.

Best suited for viewing with as little knowledge as to the content as possible, even if there must be a warning that Fresh is a very mature and unashamedly bloody film from the Disney catalogue, Cave's film acts as a confident example of a debut film as you're likely to see in 2022 and as the film lulls you into a nice sense of security in its opening 30 minutes before its credits hits and true nature becomes apparent, Fresh never lets up on a wild journey that will have you gasping, laughing and contemplating outcomes until the finale concludes.

Examining modern dating trends and hot topic issues without every forcing them into the narrative or hammering us over the head with them, first and foremost Cave is determined to create an energetic and gripping film and her work with screenwriter Lauryn Kahn is a sight to behold as the two talented minds join together a genre mash-up that expertly balances romance, comedy, horror and thriller tropes into one cohesive package that gives Marvel veteran Sebastian Stan another solid indie role and Daisy Edger-Jones a significant moment amongst many upcoming efforts that is likely to see the actress become the next big thing in Hollywood.

Having similar traits to Carey Mulligan's recent turn in the well-received Promising Young Woman, Edgar-Jones is a revelation here as Noa and after years of strong work in notable TV shows, Fresh marks a career moment for the performer whose likely to shoot way up the pecking order in 2022 on the back of this and soon to be released products such as event series Under the Banner of Heaven with Andrew Garfield and high profile adaptation feature film Where the Crawdads Sing.

Moving brilliantly between vulnerable, in charge, determined and trodden down, Edgar-Jones owns the entirety of Fresh from its humble beginnings through to its unforgiving end and even if some may find the subject matter of Cave's film too hard to bare, it's likely the can't turn away from it performance of Edgar-Jones will win over viewers who normally may not partake in such delicacies as Fresh places before them.

Final Say -

Sometimes hard too stomach, Fresh won't be for everyone but it marks a significant moment in the soon to be superstar life of Daisy Edgar-Jones and directional career of Mimi Cave, as the two combine to create one of 2022's most unexpected gems.

4 wise bartenders out of 5.

For more reviews check out Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)

First of all, there is not a single minute of this movie that would classify it as a comedy. It is a dark and disturbing suspense/horror movie.

I'm not a horror fan, but I liked this one. I had an uneasy feeling throughout the majority of it (you'll see why). The acting was better than most films of this type.

Fresh depicts the horrors of modern dating seen through one young woman's defiant battle to survive her new boyfriend's unusual appetites. This movie goes pretty off the rails and for good reason. Writer Lauryn Kahn is no stranger to rom-coms having several flops in the past. For this feature, she toys around with the horror genre to give a unique perspective both taken literally and metaphorically. The first 30-minutes are setup like a pleasing romantic movie. I quite enjoyed that beginning. Daisy Edgar-Jones and Sebastian Stan have a cute relationship and great chemistry, which lasts throughout. After that first half hour, the movie starts to pick up and show a darker side. In fact, the opening credits don't happen until then. What comes next is absurd and chilling. Without Mimi Cave's direction, her feature debut fun fact, I doubt the movie would work. She makes this both an uncomfortable and entertaining watch all together. Her techniques may not all be foreign to the horror genre and it definitely can be predictable at times, yet I feel she pulls it off.

I mentioned our two leads before, and they get even better as the movie progresses. Edgar-Jones gives a fully committed performance proving once again she's a great newcomer within the past few years. I really liked her character and how she's able to pull of a good performance to please others in the most desperate of times. Sebastian Stan does well in this role and is completely mesmerizing. Once this hits Hulu in March, there are going to be a few meme-able moments with him and quite the talk surrounding his character. Another good performance comes from Jojo T. Gibb's as the friend trying to piece this mystery together. There's a couple characters that make their entrance but feel like they serve no purpose once they get their time to shine. In the climax, I expected more from them but their works are easily resolved. And the movie ends abruptly if you ask me. As a whole, the runtime is close to two hours. It overstays its welcome with scenes that go nowhere and a few missing pieces never to return to. As much as I liked the beginning, I feel as if that could've been chopped down some even though the half hour mark throws you in for a loop. Not everything is entirely new and it could be better, but the performances and Mimi Cave's work pulls it together. This will for sure gain a cult following in the future and connect with some in such a way. I can't say it all worked for me, it's a bit messy and too long, but still a solid watch.

The ending is a bit rushed and the third act is slower compared to the second and first, but with good performances, captivating cinematography and solid direction, Fresh culminates into an enjoyable thriller.

Fresh (2022) is a movie I recently watched on Hulu. The storyline follows a single lady a little desperate to find a half decent date. She finds a nice guy and they date for several weeks and then he pops the big question, "would you like to take a cabin trip?" She's excited and goes changing her life forever...

This movie is directed by Mimi Cave in her directorial debut and stars Daisy Edgar-Jones (War of the Worlds), Sebastian Stan (Captain America: Winter Soldier), Jojo T. Gibbs (Twenties), Dayo Okeniyi (See) and Andrea Bang (Luce).

The storyline for this is very well paced and delivered. I really liked the plot, characters and how the circumstances unfold. There is really good dialogue and chemistry between the characters and intensity in the circumstances. The horror elements are subtle and while I watched the film unfold I was a bit disappointed there wasn't much gore, especially with this premise; however, the ending is so strong and well done it makes up for it.

Overall this is a fantastic "new" addition to the horror genre at a time horror fans are starved for something new and original. I would score this an 8.5-9/10 and strongly recommend it.

'Fresh' explores one of my greatest fears. Ever since I saw a particular scene in 'Hostel: Part 2' the concept has really bothered me. I won't say what it is because the surprise element is one of the great things this movie has going for it. All I'll say is it bothered me greatly.

This film works on every level. If it was just a straight up love story, I would've loved it. A love story with a very dark twist though - brilliant. The characters are what sell this. They are given such great dialogue to work with that you can't help but love them.

I've found that when a film has the class and audacity to start its opening credits over 30 minutes into the runtime (see also 'Drive my Car') it is almost always a good sign. It's a sign that the film isn't playing by the rules. Nothing is off the cards and anything could happen at any time. I love that.

I can't remember the last occasion the runtime of a movie went by so quickly. I loved every minute of this film and can't recommend it highly enough. 9/10.

I don't think I laughed once. A good job as far as writing, shooting, and acting but not a date movie, and never take your kids and block it if it's available at home; see it alone and don't tell anyone else that you saw it. I'm fact, I wasn't here.

Definitely have this European , especially French taste ))) To say the truth , wouldn't call it comedy...Pretty solid thriller/horror. Definitely recommended!

This movie started off as a Rom-Com. But soon after the first 30 minutes, it took an effing dark turn. Like, totally dark and twisted. It kept going like that for the rest of the film until nearing the end of the movie. Then you can slowly see the light at the end of the tunnel as you see the main character started to rise and uses her wits. After that, you get a satisfying closure. I don't usually recommend movies about cannibalism. But I do this one. I guess I save the breast for last.

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"FRESH is an unforgettably shocking start to another Sundance Film Festival, holding all of the characteristics to end up as one of the absolute favorites.

Mimi Cave delivers an extraordinarily captivating, assertive directorial debut, taking Lauryn Kahn's original, gruesome screenplay to the next level. Sebastian Stan demonstrates his ludicrous range, while Daisy Edgar-Jones gives a breakthrough performance that may warrant a couple of awards by the end of the festival.

With an extremely engaging yet too quick first act, the viewers are immediately grabbed by the endearing love story that slowly builds up to a brutally impactful revelation, leading the movie into a rabbit hole of (in)tense, suspenseful, surprising developments.

The last twenty minutes are the definition of insanity."

Rating: A-

'Fresh' is very good - strong performances and perfectly chosen music are the main reasons for that.

I wouldn't say it's perfect, just because I don't think it nails the split between humour and seriousness but apart from that it's a terrifically made film. Daisy Edgar-Jones and Sebastian Stan give excellent showings, while the music throughout is top notch. It's nicely paced and has an interesting story. Definitely one I'd recommend.

I just don't get how people can say this movie is so amazing and original. I really didn't see much that was unique or 'special' about it. The actors did a decent job and it started out sort of interesting. But we have seen this movie before and I don't get why people say it's so original. Maybe it will be your thing.. but just felt like a waste of time to me.

Not for everyone's taste. If you watched the trailer you should have a fair idea if Fresh will be your choice of meat. The performances are great from everyone in the cast, especially Sebastian's. Fresh is disturbing and makes you think about the authenticity of online modern dating. When scrolling through Tinder all we see are brief glimpses of someone, and our innate reaction to swipe left or right is based solely off attraction ninety percent of the time. Do we truly know someone based off easily manipulated profiles curated to our own desires? Unfortunately Fresh doesn't cut deep enough into the interesting premise, but the movie probably will make many people delete their online dating apps. Fresh is uncomfortable, twisted and somehow engaging through most of its duration. I do think some fat could have been cut off the runtime and the ending was rushed for me even though it was satisying. Other than that Fresh is a gross little thriller with great performances. Recommend if you have the stomach for it.