Nicole Kidman’s newest movie, Holland, is now streaming on Prime Video, and there is another great movie to follow it up with. Holland centers on the suburban life of Nancy Vandergroot, a wife, mother, and teacher who seemingly enjoys the regularities of her life. However, when she begins to suspect something is amiss with her husband’s frequent sojourns to conferences, Nancy takes it upon herself to investigate his whereabouts and what he is really doing. While Holland has received a middling Rotten Tomatoes score, Kidman is as great as ever.
In fact, Kidman’s performance is cited as the highlight in most reviews of Holland, though the movie’s pacing has faced criticism. Nicole Kidman has many great roles, and it is no surprise that she brings a lot of life to a seemingly subdued character. Likewise, the film’s direction and style have also received praise, which is especially impressive considering that it is only Mimi Cave’s second film. While Holland has received mixed reviews, it does serve as a great reminder that director Mimi Cave’s first film is even better.
Fresh (2022) Is Another Dark Thriller About Bad Dating From Holland Director Mimi Cave
Fans Of Holland Should Definitely Watch Fresh
Holland is about a woman who becomes suspicious of her husband initially based on very sparse evidence, whereas Fresh is a movie about the perils of not being worried enough. Fresh‘s cast is led by Daisy Edgar-Jones and Sebastian Stan as Noa and Steve, a couple who have a meet-cute in a grocery store and initially seem to be a perfect match. However, things quickly take a very dark turn when he kidnaps Noa, and it is revealed that he is a cannibal who sells human meat, leaving Noa fighting for her life.
Director Mimi Cave does a great job of exploring the dark sides of characters, making them much more complex than may be initially expected.
Both Holland and Fresh start out by portraying people and places that are seemingly entirely normal, but it soon becomes clear that there is darkness lurking just below the surface. Director Mimi Cave does a great job of exploring the dark sides of characters, making them much more complex than may be initially expected. Along with her impressive style as a relatively new director, Cave is also great at raising uncomfortable ideas through her films’ reveals and characters’ decisions.
Why Fresh’s Reviews Are So Much Better Than Holland
Fresh Was Critically Acclaimed
Following its 2022 release on Hulu, Fresh received a lot of very positive attention. The movie currently holds an 82% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with reviewers praising its strong performances, bold directorial style, and themes about modern womanhood and dating. In contrast, Holland currently holds a lackluster 33% approval rating. Reviewers noted that Nicole Kidman’s talent is wasted in the role, which is not interesting enough to sustain the runtime and inconsistent pacing.
While Holland has been criticized for taking too long to get to its twists, which are ultimately predictable anyway, Fresh feels entirely unique. It explores its concept with conviction, presenting some disturbing truths about dating in the modern world through an equally funny and horrifying lens. Despite its criticisms, Holland does have some good features that prove that it is still worth a watch, but Fresh is certainly the gold standard for Mimi Cave’s work at the moment.
