Fresh (1994) – Film Review
Director: Boaz Yakin
Cast: Sean Nelson, Giancarlo Esposito, Samuel L. Jackson
Certificate: 18
By Sarah Morgan
If you’re a fan of The Wire, chances are you will love Fresh, Boaz Yakin’s directorial debut.
Yakin also wrote the screenplay, which predates David Simon’s TV drama by eight years, but the central character of Michael, aka ‘Fresh’, could have inhabited the same drug-addled streets as some of the younger members of the groundbreaking series, although his story takes place in a rundown area of New York rather than Baltimore.
“Sharp as a pin”
When we first meet him, 12-year-old Fresh is moving drugs around for local dealer Esteban, before returning to the overcrowded home he shares with his grandmother, aunt and 11 cousins. Although his aunt is caring, nobody else he lives with seems to be. His mother’s fate or whereabouts isn’t mentioned, but he does have contact with his father Sam – albeit in secret.
Fresh is basically a small-time hustler, a smart cookie doing what he can to survive in a tough world with little adult support. He’s seemingly fine with his position, until he witnesses his sister Nichole’s descent into addiction and a shooting carried about by a dealer which leaves a girl he knew and a teenager dead.
From then on, Fresh, who’s clearly as sharp as a pin, uses the tactics he’s learned while playing chess with Sam to hatch a dangerous plan. It plays two dealers off against each other while clearing a path for himself and Nichole to escape what would otherwise be a very bleak and possibly short future.
The familiar faces of Samuel L Jackson and Giancarlo Esposito pop up as Sam and Esteban (Esposito manages to be chilling and charming, as if he’s playing a hotheaded relative of Gus, his Breaking Bad character), but it’s Sean Nelson, then aged just 14 and making his film debut, who is the standout.
“Hugely watchable”
He delivers a performance that is wise beyond its years, a little like Fresh himself, come to think of it. Nelson is now in his mid-forties and continues to act, mostly on TV, but it’s a surprise he hasn’t become a bigger star.
The film was a critical hit on its release in 1994 and deservedly so, although a couple of scenes involving cruelty to a dog left a sour taste. Nevertheless, it remains hugely watchable and thought-provoking, despite the fact it’s sad to think that there are still kids like Fresh out there, left mostly to fend for themselves after being let down by adults.
Special features include numerous interviews with the cast and crew, both new and from around the time of the movie’s original release.
Sarah Morgan studied film journalism at post-graduate level with the BFI and has been writing about TV and film for PA Media’s newspaper, magazine and new media customers since 1996. She’s also written for a wide range of other publications, both online and in print, including the book Offbeat and Intermission magazine, and is a regular contributor to the Talking Pictures TV podcast. When she isn’t watching movies, she’s collecting and reading vintage crime and horror paperback books or, for her sins, watching her beloved Sheffield Wednesday.
At-a-glance – key facts
- Title: Fresh (1994)
- Director: Boaz Yakin
- Cast: Sean Nelson; Giancarlo Esposito; Samuel L. Jackson
- Certificate (UK): 18
- Genre: Crime drama; coming-of-age
- Setting: New York City
- One-line verdict: A tense, street-level thriller with a standout debut from Sean Nelson and chess-sharp plotting.
Pros & cons – quick verdict
Pros
- Sean Nelson delivers an exceptional debut performance.
- Smart, chess-influenced structure keeps tension high.
- Authentic sense of place and 1990s New York grit.
- Strong support from Samuel L. Jackson and Giancarlo Esposito.
- Disc extras include new and archival cast/crew interviews.
Cons
- Scenes of animal cruelty will be distressing for some viewers.
- Violence and drug themes make it unsuitable for younger audiences.
- Some 1994 aesthetics may feel dated to modern viewers.
Frequently asked questions – Fresh (1994)
Is Fresh suitable for teens?
No. It carries an 18 certificate in the UK due to violence, drug content and distressing scenes.
Is Fresh similar to The Wire?
Yes, thematically. Both depict the drug trade and its impact on young people, although Fresh predates the series and is set in New York rather than Baltimore.
What is the film about?
A 12-year-old runner called Michael (‘Fresh’) uses chess-like tactics to outmanoeuvre rival dealers and try to protect his sister and himself.
Who gives the standout performance?
Sean Nelson, then 14, is the film’s centrepiece, matched by memorable turns from Samuel L. Jackson and Giancarlo Esposito.
Why is it rated 18?
For strong violence, pervasive drug themes and specific scenes (including animal cruelty) that many will find upsetting.
Does the new disc include extras?
Yes – numerous interviews with cast and crew, mixing new material with archive features from the original release period.
Is it based on a true story?
No. It’s a work of fiction, though it draws on real-world issues and environments to feel authentic.
What are the main themes?
Survival, strategy, loyalty and the moral cost of life inside the drug economy.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
- NEW The Rookie: Director Boaz Yakin on creating a timeless first film (2024)
- NEW Fresh on Fresh: Actor Sean Nelson on the prodigy he played (2024)
- NEW Framing Fresh with cinematographer Adam Holender (2024)
- NEW Fresh Sounds: Composer Stewart Copeland on the unconventional score of Fresh (2024)
- Interview with Samuel L. Jackson (1994)
- Interview with Giancarlo Esposito (1994)
- Interview with Sean Nelson & N'Bushe Wright (1994)
Fresh is released on Blu-ray by Studiocanal
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