Fresh (2022) Movie Review
Normally I stay away from horror movies. Actually I tend to stay away from any movie that looks the slightest bit scary. But after many months of debate, I decided to give Fresh a shot. Since it’s streaming on Hulu, I figured I could turn it off if it got too scary for me. I’m happy to report that Fresh is not scary in the slightest, it’s actually delightfully fun.
Noa (Daisy Edgar-Jonest) is a twenty-something struggling in the dating world. If you’ve ever had to use a dating app before you’ll truly understand her pain. We indeed see Noa on a horrendous date with a man in a scarf that perfectly encapsulates how it feels as a woman to go on a date with a man – right down to the anger he displays at the end of the night. But then, Noa bumps into Steve (Sebastian Stan) at the grocery store. It is an old-fashioned meet-cute! And although I have never known anyone to meet someone this way, I’m willing to believe it happens to some people. Noa is hesitant about seeing him because of this reason but reluctantly goes on a date with him. He is charming and fun and smart and basically seems too good to be true.
However, there are some oddities. He doesn’t have any social media which is a bit of a red flag. When he whisks her away for a weekend, Noa’s friend Mollie (Jojo T. Gibbs) is nervous because they haven’t known each other that long. Gut instincts are important y’all and Noa most definitely should have listened to hers (and Mollie’s). Steve winds up not being at all who he said he was and Noa winds up chained in a room alone. There is a twist and it is juicy but I will not reveal it here because honestly it will enhance your experience to go in with no spoilers. But brace yourself because it is truly bizarre.
This is the type of movie that I feel could only have been written by a woman and indeed it was. I don’t know what happened to writer Lauryn Kahn to cause her to come up with this premise, but I sincerely hope she keeps writing weird sh*t like this. It was fascinating to watch and there were plenty of “WTF” moments to keep you guessing. Director Mimi Cave added her own touches to the movie, lacing scenes with a humor and absurdity that was much appreciated to lighten some of the darker moments.
This is as much a comedy as it is a “scary” movie and what makes it work so well is the impeccable chemistry between Edgar-Jones and Stan. It’s entirely believable that Stan is a creepy guy who has an insane side job. And Edgar-Jones has enough gumption to make you believe she can endure what comes her way. Fresh won’t be what you expected, but it’s still a fun ride.
You’ll like this movie if:
1. You like horror comedy movies
2. You want to see one of the most bizarre twists ever
3. You hate dating apps or dating in general
