Over the past 12-13 years, it feels as though Sebastian Stan has been part of the pop-culture conversation. For many, it’s his first appearance as Bucky Barnes in Captain America: The First Avenger. However, for me, it goes back to his time on the Upper East Side as the charming yet manipulative Carter Baizen on the cult favorite series Gossip Girl. So when I saw him listed as one of the stars of Fresh, the directorial horror film debut from Mimi Cave, it was a film that jumped to the top of my list. That anticipation was warranted as Fresh mixes the ingredients of satire and horror in a satisfactory fashion.
Fresh tells the story of Noa, someone who is simply tired of the idea of dating and the apps that go along with it. Navigating through multiple dating apps and not-so-great dates, the concept of finding someone disappears every day until she meets Steve at the grocery store. While skeptical at first, she agrees to one date where they discover they have quite a bit in common. So much so that Noa begins to fall head over heels for Steve. Unfortunately for Noa, Steve has quite the ulterior motive for this blooming relationship and his unique appetite.
Director Mimi Cave’s debut is aided by Lauryn Kahn’s compelling and unique screenplay. Rather than going in a completely dark route, Cave has the time of her life as she incorporates a level of style and satire that makes the film unique, all while never losing focus on the movie’s stakes. In addition, Pawel Pogorzelski’s cinematography effectively aids in Cave’s intentions. Pogorzelski can capture the dourest moments with care while balancing the most satirical moments in the film. Simply put, you’ll never look at “Thank you for being a Friend” the same way, thanks to the combination of Cave, Kahn, and Pogorzelski.
None of these things work without the electric chemistry between Daisy Edgar-Jones and Sebastian Stan. Cave takes her time and building the budding relationship between the two and ultimately makes the moment Steve shows his true intentions much more powerful. Jones embodies the traits of a female heroine leading to a chilling final shot. Stan echoes the spirits of both Patrick Bateman and Carter Baizen as he is both charming, conniving, and dangerous. These two knock it out of the park!
Full of earned twists and turns, Fresh may be one of the best narrative features at Sundance this year. Moreover, it’s a film that ultimately creates intrigue and curiosity at the future works of Cave, Kahn, Edgar-Jones, and Stan.
Cinephiles are in for quite a delightful meal when Fresh hits Hulu in March.
