Sorry, this item is not available in
Image not available for
Color:
Image not available

To view this video download Flash Player

 

or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
Sell Us Your Item
For up to a $1.15 Gift Card
Trade in
More Buying Choices
Have one to sell? Sell yours here

Fresh (1994)

Sean Nelson , Giancarlo Esposito , Boaz Yakin  |  R |  DVD
4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (75 customer reviews)

Price: $24.00 & FREE Shipping on orders over $25. Details
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
Only 1 left in stock.
Sold by AJTB and Fulfilled by Amazon. Gift-wrap available.
Want it tomorrow, May 23? Choose One-Day Shipping at checkout. Details
Watch Instantly with Rent Buy
Fresh   -- --
Fresh   $3.99 $9.99

Other Formats & Versions

Amazon Price New from Used from
Blu-ray 1-Disc Version $5.99  
DVD 1-Disc Version $4.72  
  1-Disc Version $24.00  
"Star Trek Into Darkness" Available for Pre-order on Blu-ray and DVD
From director J.J. Abrams comes the next installment in the Star Trek saga, Star Trek Into Darkness. See it at Cinemark theaters now and pre-order on Blu-ray, 3D Blu-ray, DVD, and the Exclusive Starfleet Phaser Gift Set. Shop Star Trek Into Darkness and more in the Star Trek Store. Learn more

Frequently Bought Together

Fresh + South Central + Dead Presidents
Price for all three: $34.96

Buy the selected items together

What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?


Product Details

  • Actors: Sean Nelson, Giancarlo Esposito, Samuel L. Jackson, N'Bushe Wright, Ron Brice
  • Directors: Boaz Yakin
  • Writers: Boaz Yakin
  • Producers: Chrisann Verges, JoAnn Fregalette Jansen, Lawrence Bender, Lila Cazčs, Randy Ostrow
  • Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC
  • Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround), French (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround)
  • Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  • Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
  • Number of discs: 1
  • Rated: R (Restricted)
  • Studio: Miramax
  • DVD Release Date: February 12, 2002
  • Run Time: 114 minutes
  • Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (75 customer reviews)
  • ASIN: B00005U156
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #125,446 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
  • Learn more about "Fresh" on IMDb

Special Features

  • Behind-the-scenes featurette
  • Storyboard comparisons
  • Various cast auditions
  • Gag reel

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Boaz Yakin's astounding debut feature looks at the violent world of the projects through the eyes of a 12-year-old drug runner. Sean Nelson delivers a quiet but intense performance as Michael--street name Fresh--a cynical but introspective kid grown up fast and hard on the killing streets of the projects. Samuel L. Jackson costars as Fresh's estranged father, a speed chess hustler in the city park whose dispassionate philosophy--the chess board as life--becomes the film's central metaphor, as Fresh plots a brilliant, coldly brutal plan to save himself and his junkie sister from his world of drug dealers and street violence. Yakin's assured direction delivers a vividly realized world in bold, crisp images and an austere but poetic style that captures the dispassionate point of view of a heart-hardened adolescent street survivor. The excellent score by former Police-man Stewart Copeland, his most haunting since Rumblefish, mixes smooth symphonic sounds with bluesy guitars and syncopated percussion, giving the soundtrack the same sad intimacy as Yakin's visuals. The world of Fresh is alive with danger that threatens to extinguish all the wonder and joy of childhood--the film's most devastating moment observes Fresh helplessly trying to stop the bleeding of a schoolmate, a girl he has a crush on, caught by a stray bullet from a senseless playground murder. As Fresh loses his innocence playing street thugs and drug dealers like pieces on a chess board, he becomes the greatest victim of all. --Sean Axmaker

Product Description

Get ready for FRESH -- the intense, action-packed hit that wowed critics and riveted audiences everywhere! Disenchanted by the harsh realities of life in the city, a smart, streetwise kid nicknamed Fresh strives to create a better future for himself and his family. Fighting back in the only way he knows how, Fresh defies the odds by staying one move ahead of the local criminals in a dangerous game of survival! With extraordinary breakthrough performances by Samuel L. Jackson (PULP FICTION, JURASSIC PARK) and young Sean Nelson as Fresh, this is electrifying, edge-of-your-seat entertainment!

Customer Reviews

Fresh is one of those movies that you never see coming. A. Gyurisin  |  19 reviewers made a similar statement
This is THE best urban/gangster movie that i've ever seen. Travis Hardiman  |  9 reviewers made a similar statement
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
25 of 26 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Michael, a.k.a. "Fresh", is a 12-year-old drug dealer who lives in a run-down house with his aunt and other orphaned children in a dangerous Brooklyn neighborhood. Having grown up in a harsh culture, he is a boy who shows little emotion despite witnessing the revulsion of street life on a regular basis. His mother is long gone, his sister has resorted to prostitution, and his father is completely estranged-although every now and then he meets with his father to play speed chess, through which he is taught street knowledge. At first Fresh aspires to live the life of a powerful drug dealer, but one day a heartrending incident causes him to rethink his dreams and consider a better possible future.

Directed by Boaz Yakin (who also directed "Remember the Titans"--a *completely* different film), "Fresh" is an astonishingly well-done film that left me stunned long after it ended. By depicting a brutal life through the eyes of a young boy, the film tells a bleak story by taking its viewers on a roller-coaster ride of gut-wrenching scenes, and yet in the process it still manages to engage the audience and finally arrive at a surprising conclusion.

Although the first third of the film is basically used to give the viewer a tour of Fresh's neighborhood, the plot soon becomes very complex after one particular scene. Fresh's life literally becomes a game of chess, represented by the moves the pieces make and the strategy used to stay alive. Despite the film's quiet atmosphere, it moves at a rapid pace and forces the audience to listen closely in order to keep on track with the plot. The plot moves unpredictably throughout, but every one of its elements makes perfect sense after a bit of thinking. And although the script is heavy on profanity, it is totally realistic in depicting the everyday life of the characters, and the dialogue between Fresh and his father during their chess matches is especially good.

The picture is shot on low-budget film, making the Brooklyn neighborhood feel all the more dark and unwelcoming. But there are no prolonged fight scenes, nor is there a lot of on-screen brutality. There are, however, a lot of tragic scenes that really hit home, and they are shot with rapid film editing and camera work that didn't require any computer enhancements. Simply put, no unnecessary visual techniques are used.

The acting is superb all around. Sean Nelson, in his debut role, is stunning as Fresh; he is so compelling in the way he conveys his emotions without having to say anything, and he feels so natural that it seems as if he doesn't even know the camera's on him for more than 90% of the film. For this to come out of a debut performance is impressive enough; but for it to come out of such a young actor is truly astonishing. Supporting roles include Samuel L. Jackson, who expresses a great sense of authority as Fresh's father, and Giancarlo Esposito, who is absolutely chilling as the "black king" of the film.

And the ending is unforgettable. In fact, it is not the unpredictable denouement that the viewer remembers best; it is the very last image. In one final shot, all the emotion that had built up to that point bursts out in a brief, silent moment. It is a deeply moving way to end the film, and it gave me a faint sense of hope despite all the sorrow and horror that had already happened.

"Fresh" is a tiny film that manages to be riveting, frightening, disturbing, contemplative, poignant, and faintly uplifting all at once, and that alone makes it one of the most memorable films I have ever seen. But with acting, filming, and screenplay all being top-notch without any other frills, "Fresh" is also a brilliant work that uses only the most basic aspects of film to their fullest extent. It features many upsetting scenes and is definitely not for all viewers, and due to the plot and script it can be a very challenging film to watch at times, but it is an unconventional example of a director and cast at the top of their form. I easily recommend "Fresh" to film lovers everywhere.

Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
With the exception of a audio track that sometimes gives the impression that students were hired to record the sound, this is quite possibly a perfect movie. Given two thumbs WAY up by Siskel and Ebert, this film is a tightly written and well acted. The initial opening, which confused me at first, on later viewings revealed itself to be the setting of the chessboard upon which the title character plays his most important game -- Namely, his life. If you are a lover of suspense, intelligence, or chess (Fresh uses chess tactics to checkmate his opponents and save the "queen") than This is the film for you. Because, at first glance, this film is about African Americans and drugs -- but with relatively little violence, the distributors had no idea what to do with it and it received lousy distribution and little advirtising. It is NOT however so much a film about drugs and violence, as it is about an incredibly intelligent, hard working kid who uses all the resources available to him to get himself and his sister a better life. I have seen this film multiple times, and to my amazement found NOT ONE line of wasted dialogue in the whole thing... which makes the lousy soundtrack all the more annoying. Additionally, it has the complex construction of a Dickens' tale -- seemingly unrelated details all coming together to a tighly knit resolution. If you are a serious student or lover of film, this is one to be savored.
Was this review helpful to you?
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars An Overlooked Gem April 26, 2000
Format:VHS Tape
This is a very recent film that I watched at the suggestion of one of my co-workers (Hey Harlan!). I was captivated by this film from beginning to end. Its raw power is undescribable, and the performances by the lead actor in particular (Sean Nelson) was brilliant. The story deals with a young boy who has become a pint size drug runner. He, however, is extremely intelligent and knows that there is no future in this type of life. He sets out to become a man, and in the process many lives are changed, most importantly his own. It is a film of astonishing and unrelenting power which should be seen by everyone. I was very impressed with screenwriter/director Boaz Yakim's decision not to put the usual soundtrack that befuddles urban films, instead, the instrumental score brings yet another dimension to this already multi-layered motion picture. Kudos to Giancarlo Esposito in the role of Esteban.
Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars I love it!
DVD in great condition...and I love this movie! Heartbreaking but resilient. You see people you know in the characters. Powerful!
Published 26 days ago by carol henderson belton
5.0 out of 5 stars Think about it...
One of those few movies that shouldn't be owned, but kept in your Spirit. Empire Strikes Back is another one. Super Fresh, plus features the baddest chick ever N'Bushe Wright! Read more
Published 1 month ago by MoPop
5.0 out of 5 stars Fresh
Dope movie. I saw this for the first time as a kid. I fell in love Giancarlo Eposito then : ) It's a great movie and Sean Nelson did a great job.
Published 1 month ago by Cheddar
5.0 out of 5 stars THANKS
one of my all-time favorite movies. I knew I just had to have this in my collection and it was worth it.
Published 1 month ago by Josh Bynum
4.0 out of 5 stars Good Plot! Smart Kid.
I told some of my friends about the movie. Good, suspenseful and smart plot, a good movie to watch on any night.
Published 2 months ago by GB
1.0 out of 5 stars Not impressed by this film. Very low budget. This looked like a...
Was not impressed by this film. Very low budget. Reminded me of a short film or college film. Found the shot of child naked on bed was. Rey bad taste and unnecessary.
Published 2 months ago by Enrique Melcer
4.0 out of 5 stars The Ultimate Movie Review! -[...] - @tss5078
A pretty good and very underrated movie. This kid is a genius and the ending was great. The only negative would have to be all the Ebonics throughout which made parts of it some... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Todd Smith
5.0 out of 5 stars Great product
I love the movie and was happy that I could find it in DVD at such a reasonable price. The quality is fine.
Published 3 months ago by Cadence
5.0 out of 5 stars Great film!
It's a great movie. It really gives you a glimpse of how the drug game can be get. I've loved this flick for years.
Published 3 months ago by @livesince87
5.0 out of 5 stars GREAT Movie! Highly under-rated
Though there is profanity, violence and some nudity in the film, it reflects reality and coming of age for many young black boys growing up in the 'hood. Read more
Published 3 months ago by DMWeathersby
Search Customer Reviews
Only search this product's reviews

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought


Forums

There are no discussions about this product yet.
Be the first to discuss this product with the community.
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 



Look for Similar Items by Category

AJTB Privacy Statement AJTB Shipping Information AJTB Returns & Exchanges