Fresh (1994)

Fresh: Directed by Boaz Yakin. With Sean Nelson, Giancarlo Esposito, Samuel L. Jackson, N’Bushe Wright. Death and violence anger a twelve-year-old drug courier, who sets his employers against each other.

“Now I have witnessed the third truly great film to have come out of America in 1994. One that can hold its own, and more, against such films released that year as u0026quot;Pulp Fiction,u0026quot; u0026quot;Natural Born Killers,u0026quot; and u0026quot;Vanya on 42nd Street.u0026quot; Itu0026#39;s called u0026quot;Fresh,u0026quot; and Iu0026#39;ll go out on a limb to say itu0026#39;s as powerful an urban drama as any other Iu0026#39;ve seen in my life.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThere are no fancy cinematic magic tricks going on in this film, aside from an instance of superimposed images that is so simple it almost seems like a throwback to old silent dramas. There are no choreographed gun fights, no switching film stocks to produce psychedelic effects, nothing like that. Not to say that these things cannot be used appropriately and judiciously to enhance the effect of a particular film, but u0026quot;Freshu0026quot; is stripped bare, and must depend on its performances, direction, and writing alone.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eFor starters, a young Sean Nelson delivers a performance that puts the lionu0026#39;s share of veteran actors to shame. Heu0026#39;s completely lacking in self-consciousness, almost like heu0026#39;s unaware that the camera is on him for nine out of ten of the shots in u0026quot;Fresh.u0026quot; His character, for which the film takes its title, may be the smartest youth in motion picture history for whom genius is not a gimmick or a joke (i.e. u0026quot;Good Will Hunting,u0026quot; u0026quot;Real Genius,u0026quot; stuff like that). Watching him, you see a wise old actor in a teenu0026#39;s body; he does not u0026quot;actu0026quot; any emotions or thoughts, but merely feels them and thinks them. He seems to embody bits of screen legend: a little Bogart stalwartness there, some of Jimmy Stewartu0026#39;s quiet charm here, and most of all Morgan Freemanu0026#39;s ability to communicate much while doing or saying very little.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThatu0026#39;d be just enough for most movies, but Nelson is backed by a choice supporting cast: the two most recognizable names are obviously Samuel L. Jackson (Freshu0026#39;s chessmaster/alcoholic father) and Giancarlo Esposito (the slimy, high-living drug dealer Esteban), and both are perfect in award-caliber performances. Two lesser known actors, Nu0026#39;Bushe Wright (Freshu0026#39;s junkie sister Nichole) and Jean LaMare (as Jake, the hot tempered low-man-on-the-totem-pole employee of Corky) are also terrific in key roles.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe screenplay, by director Boaz Yakin, is doggedly unpredictable, but in retrospect it all makes perfect sense — nothing in the movie pushes the bounds of credibility. Iu0026#39;ve seen truckloads of thrillers, most of them are wearily proficient at making you guess whatu0026#39;s next. None but a few, however, kept me guessing WHEN to guess, or surprised me with such affecting emotional developments. None but a few moved along with such self-assured grace and style. u0026quot;Freshu0026quot; knows its territory, the time and place itu0026#39;s set in, and it provides characters who talk like they do in real life — not ones that sound like theyu0026#39;re in a movie where they talk like they do in real life.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe use of violence is admirably restrained. Most of it takes place off camera, silhouetted, or cut away from quickly. The two scenes of bloodletting, when they are shown to us, are literally heartbreaking. Not only does u0026quot;Freshu0026quot; keep us off guard on a psychological level, but on an emotional one as well, something few films ever think of doing.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eIf I were to offer one criticism, it would be that the chess metaphor was pressed just a bit too hard by Yakin (though the final scene is devastating): we already know that this kid is thinking like a master strategist, we donu0026#39;t need quite so many shots of him playing the game in his room. Thatu0026#39;s a small quibble, though, because the chess metaphor is entirely appropriate, and Jacksonu0026#39;s early speech about the game is an ingenious device.”