MIMI CAVE’S ‘FRESH’ TAKES A SATIRIC BITE OUT OF THE HORRORS OF DATING

**Sebastian Stan** and Daisy Edgar-Jones in **Mimi Cave’s** debut film, **FRESH.**

Roughly 31% of all Americans are currently single, with dating apps such as Hinge, Tinder, and Match all experiencing a surge in popularity during the height of the still-ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. In March 2020 alone, Tinder recorded its highest number of swipes on a single day: 3 billion. It’s tough out there in the dating world, especially in this era of social distancing and isolation. And in Mimi Cave’s directorial debut, FRESH, premiering on Hulu Friday, March 4th, there is no doubt that dating can also be downright dangerous.

The film, which had it’s Sundance debut in January 2022, centers around a young, single woman named Noa (Daisy Edgar-Jones), who is frustrated with her dating life. She’s estranged from her mother, her father passed away, and she has no siblings. The closest familial figure she has is her best friend Millie (a fantastic Jonica T. Gibbs), whom she commiserates with on her love life, which is, for all intents and purposes, a drowning ship full of nothing but rats. Case in point; in the beginning of the film, we see Noa go on a Tinder date with a man who could open up his own red flag store: he wears a scarf over a t-shirt, negs her about her lack of “feminine” appearance, takes all the leftovers from their dinner home for himself, and then unleashes a torrent of belligerent and infantile language when Noa politely declines his invitation for a second date.

**Daisy Edgar-Jones** in a scene from **FRESH**.

Noa begins to doubt that she can meet a normal guy, until she has a quintessential “meet-cute” with Steve (Sebastian Stan), during a late-night run to her local grocery store, where they bond over cotton candy grapes and share cutely awkward banter with each other. Steve is charming, good-looking, and has a disarming, dorky affability about him, so it’s not surprising when he asks for Noa’s number, she gives it to him. After all, what’s the worst that could happen? As we soon find out, plenty, because though the first 35 minutes of the film play out like a typical indie romance film, it soon takes a hard left that is at turns shocking, stomach-turning, and undeniably disturbing.

**Sebastian Stan** in a scene from **FRESH**.

Without venturing into spoiler territory, what follows is a blood-soaked, but darkly comedic film about the horrors of dating. Cinematographer Pawel Pogorzelski (Hereditary, Midsommar) awashes scenes in gorgeous swaths of golds and reds, creating a tone of both infatuation and menacing precariousness for the characters, and director Mimi Cave’s rolling, close-up shots of a mouth chewing, a bared and vulnerable neck, or even a row of teeth constructs a taunting sense of unrest and anxiety as the film starts to build momentum. The film is exquisite to look at, due in no small part to production designer Jennifer Morden. The paintings, the furniture, and even the staircases in the film all practically vibrate with unease, and the fantastic pop soundtrack including Richard Marx, Animotion, and The Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs, provides a sharp, peppy, and darkly comedic edge to the film, along with Alex Somers original score.

Both Daisy Edgar-Jones (Normal People) and Sebastian Stan (Pam & Tommy, Captain America: The Winter Soldier) shine in the film, with Edgar-Jones creating a relatable, vulnerable, yet resourceful heroine in the character of Noa. Though she doesn’t see the warning signs to Steve’s true nature until it’s too late, she’s no dummy, and eventually uses her wits to great effect in the film’s violent denouement. Stan as Steve is the modern dating world’s equivalent to a wolf in sheep’s clothing: charismatic, handsome, and engaging, without being cocky. He seems to be the ideal guy a single girl would want to meat (oops, I mean, meet). Successful, funny, and self-effacing. Stan brings an alluring, yet at times comedic menace to the character of Steve, continuing to smartly take on a host of diverse film roles that show off both his comedic and dramatic acting chops. This is a Sebastian Stan we have not yet seen and I am here for it.

**Sebastian Stan** and **Daisy Edgar-Jones** in **FRESH**.

Though FRESH does stumble a bit in its final act, regrettably leaning into several horror clichés, as well as leaving several questions frustratingly unanswered (can we get a FRESH prequel, guys?) it is ultimately smart and compelling in its execution, and is an assured, horrifying, and probing tale of possession, misogyny, and aberrant appetites. And though the first 30 minutes are pure You’ve Got Mail fairy-tale, it quickly spirals into a chilling horror story, with shades of American Psycho, Boxing Helena, and Kiss the Girls creating an experience that is both disturbing, comedic, and compelling to watch. FRESH is a horrible reminder that women have to navigate the world very differently than men. Noa not only has to face unsolicited dick pics, has to carry her keys as a weapon when she feels someone walking behind her at night, but now has to deal with a man who won’t be able to whet his appetite until he possesses every single inch of her. FRESH aptly tackles the pitfalls of the dating world and male/female relationships, resulting in a perceptive, shocking, and satirical horror film you can really sink your teeth into.