Fresh

Fresh

Director – Mini Cave

Writers – Lauryn Kahn

2022, USA-UK

Stars –     Daisy Edgar-Jones, Sebastian Stan, Jojo T. Gibbs

 

It’s probably what you thought ‘A Wounded Fawn’ was going to be, and it even goes psychedelic for a moment with the (late) credits going all Joe Meek. Although there are not so many surprises, the true gold is to be found in the performances, the chemistry between Daisy Edgar-Jones (Noa) and Sebastian Stan (Steve). Stan is all quiet charm and confidence and it’s easy to see why Noa would fall for Steve. But it’s even with Jones and Jojo T. Gibbs, conveying a full friendship without much screen time together, or the interaction between Gibbs and an ex (Dayo Okeniyi).

 

‘Fresh’ goes for a dungeon chic aesthetic with an exceptional production design by Jennifer Mordenfor the house created for the film. Otherwise. Cave offers up a long set-up to make you care, an excellent soundtrack that goes from indie pop to hip hop via an ‘80s classic, a nasty showdown and some flashes of degenerate “customers” in kind of Alejandro Jodorowsky tableaus. That last is a little obvious, a little shoe-horned, perhaps, but it doesn’t dwell and it’s not aiming for torture porn veracity. But its feminist credibility is more organic, stated in a couple of key lines (“It’s always their fault” and “Women like you are the problem”) and the fact that the women pull together for quite that kitchen battle. No one is stupid (you can’t even blame the guy who assesses the situation and decides he won’t actually hang around to play saviour) and the maturity of the characters is where ‘Fresh’ really excels. 

 

 

It is slick, just a little sick and a little standard, and, having allowed itself a slow burn to the credits, never loses it pace or is diverted by abuse when it kicks in (another benefit of having women at the helm where it’s the betrayal that hurts?).  Despite its truly nasty premise, with the perpetrator’s barely acknowledging the brutal misogyny, ‘Fresh’ has one of the most charming villains and a fun realisation. And again, another horror film that provides excellent female performances.