This is a forgotten gem in the Miramax Films arsenal. “Fresh,” which came out in 1994,” is a crime drama youth tale about the title character (Sean Nelson), a 12-year-old boy who’s a drug dealer.
The only time he sees Sam (Samuel L. Jackson), his father, is in the park because Fresh is not supposed to be seeing him. Sam is considered a derelict by his family.
He plays chess in the park with his father, and it serves as a motivator for his life. Fresh works for two rival gangs and pits them against each other. The plot structure is sort of like “A Fistful of Dollars,” Sergio Leone’s 1964 Spaghetti Western starring Clint Eastwood.
This tale is great because it’s an urban movie sans rap music. Stewart Copeland’s score is amazing. It’s very fluid and it helps the audience ingest the movie, which has some rough dramatic spots.
Director Boaz Yakin, who called the shots on “A Price Above Rubies” in 1998 and “Remember the Titans” in 2000, makes his audience care about the characters and what happens to them.
“Fresh” also has some great character actors who offer support. José Zūñiga is terrific as Lt. Perez, who helps Fresh get out of his difficult situation. As Esteban, Giancarlo Esposito (Gus Fring in the “Breaking Bad” streaming TV series) portrays an antagonist, a two-faced villain.
This is a gangster movie, but not really. Fresh is just trying to make a better life for his family. It’s just a great all-around drama. I really enjoyed it. “Fresh” is available on DVD and Blu-ray.
Grade: A+
