From The Blair Witch Project to The Babadook, the Sundance Film Festival has always been a place to discover the latest and greatest horror. Sundance 2022, however, is noteworthy for just how many horror films are debuting. Get Out premiered at the festival five years ago, and it feels as if the wave of new filmmakers inspired by Jordan Peele's brand of socially conscious high-concept horror is in full force in 2022. Mimi Cave's feature-length directorial debut, FRESH, is one of the most twisted and entertaining of the bunch.
FRESH centers around the perils women face when dating men, with additional commentary on how the ultra-wealthy can get away with anything. During its first act, FRESH plays like a dark romantic comedy with a foreboding edge. Our protagonist Noa (Daisy Edgar-Jones) has had no luck on dating sites. When she meets the handsome and mysterious Steve (Sebastian Stan), she thinks she's finally fallen in love. Her attraction to Steve is so strong that she's willing to ignore all the red flags pointed out to her by her lesbian BFF, Millie (Jojo T. Gibbs).
Of course, the other shoe has to drop eventually. By the time the title and opening credits roll 30 minutes into the movie, you know what sort of horror FRESH has in store for its viewers. Without spoiling the film's plot, its official plot description points audiences in the right direction when it states that the movie is about "the horrors of modern dating seen through one young woman's defiant battle to survive her new boyfriend's unusual appetites." FRESH is not excessively gory. Most of the grosser visuals are several steps removed from the violence in question. However, FRESH's concept is nonetheless about as disturbing as can be, so keep that in mind when determining whether you're ready to stomach it.
Golden Globe and Critics' Choice-nominated actor Daisy Edgar-Jones (Normal People) is a compelling lead. She takes FRESH's drama seriously without detracting from its dark comedy. Based on this film and her career thus far, she's a talent on the rise to watch. Sebastian Stan has more fun playing evil in FRESH than he's ever shown as The Winter Soldier in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Jojo T. Gibbs and Dayo Okeniyi fill genre-savvy commentator roles similar to Lil Rel Howery's in Get Out -- although their stories don't resolve quite so satisfyingly.
FRESH puts Mimi Cave on the map as a horror director. Praise also goes to the creative cinematography by Pawel Pogorzelski (who previously shot Hereditary and Midsommar) and the eclectic collection of pop song rearrangements that make up much of the film's soundtrack. Whatever one's feelings are about Adam McKay as a director, it's clear he's got a strong sensibility as a producer. FRESH shows he can gather impressive talent to tell stories that balance social commentary with pop entertainment.
It's somewhat disappointing FRESH had to skip a theatrical premiere and is going straight to streaming. It would have played amazingly as a midnight movie with an audience. Even watching at home, however, this horror-comedy is still pretty tasty.
FRESH premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. Searchlight Pictures will release the film on Hulu on March 4.