Fresh – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Fresh

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

movie2022

12%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

Dating app horror meets literal consumption—darkly funny, deeply disturbing, and absolutely not for your kids.

6.7/10

82%

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Fresh

movie

R, 2022

12%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

Dating app horror meets literal consumption—darkly funny, deeply disturbing, and absolutely not for your kids.

6.7

82%

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Screenwise Verdict

Fresh is not for families. Period.

This is smart, well-crafted horror for adults who can handle graphic violence and deeply disturbing themes. It takes the anxieties of modern dating—swiping, ghosting, wondering if this charming stranger is secretly a monster—and literalizes them into a cannibalism nightmare. Sebastian Stan is genuinely great as the too-good-to-be-true guy who turns out to be, well, a literal butcher.

The movie works as social satire, and horror fans appreciate its originality. But it's extreme content: graphic violence, body horror, sexual content, and themes that would traumatize anyone under 18. The R rating is earned ten times over.

If you're an adult looking for inventive, conversation-worthy horror with a side of dark comedy, Fresh delivers. If you have kids in the house, make absolutely sure they're nowhere near the screen when you watch this.

Age Fit

This is exclusively for adults 18+ who enjoy dark, disturbing horror with satirical bite. The R rating and 17+ Common Sense recommendation are bare minimums—even mature teens will likely find this too intense. Parent reviews are unanimous: keep kids far away.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

This is a horror film about cannibalism and kidnapping with disturbing violence, graphic nudity, and sexual content. The tone is dark and twisted, featuring a man who literally butchers women. The 'comedy' elements are pitch-black satire about dating culture and toxic masculinity. Zero wholesomeness—this is intentionally unwholesome horror.

Imaginative

Fresh takes a genuinely original spin on dating horror, subverting rom-com expectations with a cannibalism twist that arrives unexpectedly. The premise—modern dating apps leading to literal consumption—is darkly creative. Sebastian Stan's performance as the charming-then-horrifying villain is inventive. It's not 'build your own world' imaginative, but it's a fresh (sorry) take on horror tropes with smart genre-blending.

Safe

Rated R for 'strong and disturbing violent content, some bloody images, language throughout, some sexual content and brief graphic nudity.' Features graphic violence, body horror, cannibalism, kidnapping, torture, and deeply disturbing themes. Common Sense Media rates it 17+. Parent reviews explicitly warn 'DO NOT LET YOUR KIDS SEE THIS.' This is emphatically unsafe for children—the low score reflects that it's at least marketed honestly as adult horror.

Enriching

For mature audiences, Fresh offers sharp social commentary on modern dating culture, the commodification of women's bodies, and toxic masculinity. It's a conversation-starter about consent, red flags in relationships, and how charm can mask danger. The horror serves a satirical purpose. But it's not 'enriching' in a traditional sense—it's disturbing entertainment with some thematic depth. Adults might find it thought-provoking; kids would just be traumatized.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Genuinely original premise that flips dating rom-coms into body horror with biting social commentary
Sebastian Stan delivers a charismatic, unsettling performance that makes the horror work
Smart satire about toxic masculinity, commodification, and modern dating's darker truths
Strong reviews (82% RT critics, 80% audience) for those who appreciate dark, inventive horror
Actually entertaining for adult horror fans—not just shock value, but clever genre-blending

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What to Watch For

Graphic violence, body horror, cannibalism, torture—this is extreme content even by horror standards
Sexual content and brief graphic nudity that's part of the disturbing narrative
Deeply unsettling themes about kidnapping and violence against women (even if satirical)
The title and marketing might trick people into thinking it's a rom-com—it is NOT

Conversation Starters

"What red flags did you notice in Steve's behavior before the reveal? How do charm and manipulation work together?"
"How does the movie use horror to comment on how dating culture can feel dehumanizing?"
"Do you think the dark comedy elements work, or do they undercut the serious themes?"
"What does this say about consent and bodily autonomy in relationships?"

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