Widely regarded as one of the best films of 1994, this gritty crime drama stars Samuel L. Jackson, Giancarlo Esposito (Breaking Bad), N’Bushe Wright (Blade), and Sean Nelson in an acclaimed, award-winning performance.

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 by staying one move ahead of the local criminals.

For thoughts on Fresh (1994), please check out my thoughts on No Streaming Required:

Video Quality

Fresh arrives on Blu-Ray courtesy of Imprint Films with a digital AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.78:1 that appears to be from an older scan in acceptable shape. This label is based out of Australia, but the disc will play in all Blu-Ray players including those in the United States. The film was previously released on Blu-Ray in the U.S. by Echo Bridge Entertainment in 2013, but that appears to be out of print and we have never watched that disc to compare.

The presentation retains its naturally filmic 35mm appearance that showcases a respectable amount of detail. There are a good amount of blemishes and other bits of print damage that could be eliminated with a new scan in the future. The grain can be a bit coarse but mostly avoids becoming digital noise and swarming the screen. Black levels are challenged during some of the nighttime scenes in dark alleyways, but they generally hold up with only a slight amount of crush and banding. Highlights are in a similar boat as they rarely succumb to blooming. Skin tones are natural and consistent with discrete features showcased in closeup. The natural color palette is exceptionally saturated with the hues finding nuances within the grungy environments. It is nice to have this one back in circulation, but a new master would have been preferable.

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray comes with an LPCM 2.0 stereo track that holds up well within its sonic ambitions. One of our favorite aspects of this feature is the score from Stewart Copeland, and it flows through the room with grand fidelity while juxtaposing the horrors of the narrative. Dialogue is crisp and clear even when characters like Chuckie project a strong accent. All of the exchanges play well with the background noises of the city. The environmental effects have a strong presence in the track which never falters in terms of depth and nuance. There is no egregious damage or age-related anomalies that impede your enjoyment. The audio is in good shape. Optional English (HOH) subtitles are included for the feature film.

Special Features

Audio Commentary: Writer/director Boaz Yakin provides an informative commentary track in which he discusses how the film was made, his reason for elements of magical realism, the intentions of the score from Stewart Copeland, nearly passing on Sean Nelson, the look of the film, and more.

The Rookie – Interview with Director Boaz Yakin: A new 23-minute interview with the filmmaker in which he discusses his background, the influences on Fresh, how he felt when he first saw Sean Nelson, the surprising confidence he had while making Fresh, the release of the film, and more.

Fresh on Fresh – Interview with Actor Sean Nelson: A new 14-minute interview with the now-grown star in which he discusses his background, the rehearsal process for Fresh, the elements he brought from his personal experiences, his relationship with Samuel L. Jackson, working with the dog, and more.

Framing Fresh with Cinematographer Adam Holender: A new 13-minute interview with the director of photography who discusses his background, his attempts at filmmaking, how he works with different directors, the experience of working on the film, his appreciation for a movie like this getting made, and more.

Fresh Sounds – Interview with Composer Stewart Copeland: A new 16-minute interview with the composer as he discusses his journey to composing, learning to work with an orchestra, his work on Fresh, working with Boaz Yakin, and more.

One Foot In the Practical, One Foot In the Poetic – Interview with Producer Lawrence Bender: A new 17-minute interview with the producer who discusses his journey in the entertainment industry, what he learned to help out his producing career, early relationships with iconic filmmakers, the process of making Fresh, and more.

Archival Interview with Samuel L. Jackson (1994): A seven-minute archival interview with the performer who discusses his character, working with Boaz Yakin, the problems of drugs in America, and more.

Archival Interview with Giancarlo Esposito (1994): A six-minute archival interview with the performer who discusses how his character transcends cliches, the difference between film and stage acting, and more.

Archival Interview with Sean Nelson & N’Bushe Wright (1994): A nearly seven-minute interview with the two performers in which they discuss their characters, how they prepared for their roles, and more.

Behind the Scenes Featurette: A brief two-minute featurette in which the cast and creative team broadly discuss the film.

Storyboard to Film Comparisons: There are seven scenes totaling 20 minutes of comparisons between the initial storyboards and the final film.

Cast Audition Tapes: There are seven audition tapes totaling 34 minutes for Sean Nelson, Luis Lantigua, Natima Bradley, Ron Brice, Jean Lamarre, N’Bushe Wright, and Iraida Polanco.

Gag Reel: A five-minute collection of flubbed lines, laughing fits, and more.

Theatrical Trailer: The two-and-a-half-minute trailer is provided here.

Final Thoughts

Fresh is an incredibly bleak watch at times as the film tackles violence in an unflinching fashion, even showcasing some violence against animals. Our lead character has a strategic mind that is captivating in many respects, playing the game that society has set him up for and trying to survive by any means necessary. This leads to many questions of ethics and the necessity of having a character to root for who can be considered morally “good” at the end of the day. This tricky material is brought to life through a fantastic ensemble and a confident vision from Boaz Yakin. Imprint Films has delivered a Blu-Ray featuring a fine A/V presentation and a wealth of great special features. If you are not scared off by the dour nature of the material, this is a very good movie. Recommended

Fresh is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Note #2: This release is an Australian import that can be played in Blu-Ray players worldwide.

Disclaimer: Imprint Films has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.