FRESH

Noa (Daisy Edgar-Jones) has been on way too many bad dates to count and the latest one has made her question throwing in the towel for good. But after meeting the charismatic Steve (Sebastian Stan), things seem to rebound in a more positive light. One date turns to two and a seemingly innocent getaway is planned for the happy couple. Yet it’s on this trip that things take a turn for the duo, with ominous plans and a deeply macabre game set in motion. The two leads are clearly having fun under the direction of Mimi Cave, with the film’s first half surpassing its second in thrills and clever setups. Despite the plot convention restrictions toward the end, “Fresh” remains a fun and deeply unsettling look at modern dating and thinking twice before you swipe right.

WHEN YOU FINISH SAVING THE WORLD

The fraught mother and son dynamic in this year’s opening night film, will cause many in the audience to squirm in their seats. Teenage Ziggy (Finn Wolfhard)  just wants what every boy his age craves, to be left alone by his parents and solely focus on his outside ambitions (in his case that’s creating music and chasing a high school crush). His mom Evelyn (Julianne Moore), obviously feels otherwise and that clash of views makes for some tense and engrossing viewing. Not all parents are meant to get along with their kids, and while this pair certainly doesn’t, their disconnects aren’t a total loss and even hint at an optimistic future. “When You Finish Saving the World” is a promising and heartfelt debut from Jesse Eisenberg, who also wrote and directed the film, showing the scars that can come from familial bonds.

THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD

Renate Reinsve’s central performance in “The Worst Person in the World” has been earning raves since the film’s debut at last year’s Cannes Film Festival. Seemingly simple but deeply complex, she plays Julie, an energetic and curious creature navigating the streets of Oslo without much of a plan for the future. Her love life is a mess but she embraces the chaos, which in her mind is a positive step forward. When she meets graphic artist Aksel (Anders Danielsen Lie), sparks fly until they don’t, leading Julie to question what she really wants out of a partner and out of herself. Director Joaquim Trier (“Oslo, August 31”) deftly navigates the delicate contradictions of love and maturity, making tough situations equally relatable and heartbreaking.

All photos courtesy of Sundance Institute