I recently watched Control Freak (2025), which was recently added to Hulu. The story follows a successful public speaker whose life revolves around her career, her boyfriend (a colleague), and her attempts to get pregnant. However, when she develops a persistent itch, her search for its cause uncovers dark secrets from her past. To find relief, she may need to confront her family and the truth she's been avoiding.
Written and directed by Shal Ngo (The Park), the film stars Kelly Marie Tran (Raya and the Last Dragon), Miles Robbins (Halloween, 2018), and Toan Le (The Sympathizer).
The premise had a lot of potential, and Kelly Marie Tran delivers an authentic, believable performance. However, the writing holds the film back. Both the pregnancy subplot and the family backstory feel underdeveloped, missing opportunities for deeper impact. There's a lot of itching-so much that it becomes unsettling after a while. While some scenes are effective and the CGI at the end isn't terrible, many of the film's resolutions feel cliched and uninspired.
In conclusion, Control Freak has a few solid moments and a strong lead performance but ultimately falls short. I'd score it a 5/10 and only recommend it with appropriate expectations.
