Fremont is a hard movie to pin down. On the one hand, Babak Jalali’s latest feature is uneventful, demanding audiences be patient if they want to understand the delicate portrait the filmmaker is painting. At the same time, Fremont overflows with style, using its small story to focus on the conflicts that permeate the everyday life of an immigrant in the United States. So, while it’s easy to understand why the story might push away moviegoers, this clever dramedy will most certainly reward those willing to stick around. Plus, with a supporting cast that includes names such as Gregg Turkington (Ant-Man) and Jeremy Allen White (The Bear), there’s even something for people looking for some star power in their movies.

In Fremont, we follow Donya (Anaita Wali Zada), an Afghan immigrant who bought her American dream by serving as a translator for the US Army during their operations in the Central Asian country. Despite not being on the frontlines, Donya witnessed the horrors of war firsthand when she was working a job that also put her family in danger once she began to be seen as a traitor. So, once the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan, long after the US army departed and left their mess behind, Donya fled her home country and went to the Land of the Free, where people swear hard work can ensure you have a place in paradise.

Of course, life is not so simple in the US. While Donya was granted passage into the country, she still struggles to make ends meet, with her scrawny paycheck barely covering food and a roof in an apartment hotel. Furthermore, even if her job at a handmade fortune cookie factory allows her to pay her bills, the menial and repetitive work is not particularly motivating. It’s then ironic that Donya spends her day helping manufacture a product conceived to make people feel better about their luck when she struggles to navigate her own.

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‘Fremont’ Can Be Hit and Miss
Image via Karlovy Vary International Film Festival

To say Donya is a layered character would be an understatement. Still, while it’s great to see Jalali and co-writer Carolina Cavalli have created a compelling female protagonist, Zada deserves all the praise for her brilliant performance. Thanks to her commitment to the role, we understand Donya’s inner universe even when the actress is silent. A fire burns in Zada’s eyes, speaking volumes of Donya’s burning desire to find a more fulfilling life. At the same time, her guilt as a survivor prevents her from moving forward, often snuffing out the flames of her ambition. That this is the first acting credit in Zada’s career only makes the feat that much more impressive. It is clear she has a bright future ahead of her.

Fremont manages to enthrall its audience with a story about self-forgiveness and repressed desires, navigating Donya’s journey with an optimistic note about how we should embrace the unpredictability of life and accept that happiness might be right around the corner. It’s a message that resonates even more thanks to the staleness of Donya’s mundane life, imposed on her due to her immigrant status. While Fremont tells a barebone story that’s never particularly surprising, it is a charming movie with many layers of its own. Unfortunately, where it falters is in its attempt to make the audience laugh.

While Fremont presents a poignant drama about immigrant identity, the movie’s attempts at humor are not always equally successful. Jalali tries to explore the hardships of her life through deadpan comedic scenes that highlight how strange human beings can be. That creative choice can lead to genuine lighthearted moments, while some other scenes are uncomfortably cringe-worthy.

‘Fremont’ Finds Life’s Complexity in Its Supporting Characters
Image via Karlovy Vary International Film Festival

It’s also important to note that the humor in Fremont is often introduced by its cast of supporting characters, each representing a different way Donya tries to reconnect with the world. Among these characters, Turkington plays a psychiatrist who gets more emotional than his patients during sessions, and Hilda Schmelling appears as Donya’s American coworker, desperate to find love. White also shows up briefly in Fremont, bringing some welcome hope to Donya’s life in a charming appearance that is short but memorable. While these characters are used for comedy, they are still complex human beings with their goals, fears, and quirks. Even though the purpose of Fremont is to tell Donya’s story, it can’t help but feel like this fabulous supporting cast ends up underexplored. Moreover, since it does feel a little thin overall, there was space to explore the constellation of people connected to Donya.

All of that said, Fremont is still a hidden gem that deserves all the love it has gathered during its festival run. Jalali creates a unique dramedy that will be remembered for its solid direction, powerful performances, and eye-popping cinematography.

Rating: B

Fremont had its international premiere at 2023’s Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.