“Apple Cider Vinegar”, currently streaming on Netflix, unravels the astonishing true story of Belle Gibson, the infamous wellness scammer who took the world for a ride. Based on The Woman Who Fooled the World by Beau Donelly and Nick Toscano, this six-episode series, directed by Jeffrey Walker, is a warning for us. But is it worth the time? Let’s dig deeper.
Storyline
An ambitious mother-to-be teenager with a traumatic past makes a fake claim of suffering from brain cancer and gets instant sympathy online. She discovers the blog of Milla, a real cancer patient who wants to avoid amputation and chooses alternative therapy instead. With no true friends, a baby boy in her lap and struggling for survival, Belle finds solace in interacting with Milla online and follows her story. While looking for support for her online store set-up, Belle meets Clive and ends up moving in with him, along with her baby.
Milla, with support from her boyfriend and parents, undergoes a therapy in Mexico that uses juices and enemas; and at the end of it, she believes the cancer is gone. She capitalises on it well and becomes popular on Instagram as well as offline, making prescriptions and pulling crowds. Belle on the other hand, ups her game—launching The Whole Pantry, an app offering customized diet plans to beat cancer (the way she did) and develops a big fan following.
Meanwhile, real cancer patients, like Lucy, who is physically and emotionally drained from medical treatments, get pulled into Belle’s “paradise”, convinced by her incredible methods. Milla’s best friend and manager, Chanelle also joins Belle, who has big plans. The Whole Pantry becomes an instant success and Belle also manages to publish her book with recipes to beat cancer. Her app makes it to Apple’s 2015 Watch launch, catapulting her further.
Lucy’s journalist boyfriend who was always sceptical of Belle, smells something fishy in the Belle story and starts digging into her past. After meeting Chanelle, he and his colleague begin asking tough questions in the media and the cracks in Belle’s carefully constructed paradise begin to show.
Can Belle keep up the farce, or will she crumble?
Our critique
The series wastes no time setting up its premise, moving at a rapid pace with a peppy feel, while switching between Belle’s past and present. The narrative creatively walks a fine line—there are brief moments where you feel a bit of sympathy for Belle, only to be quickly reminded of her true colours. Beyond being an engaging drama, Apple Cider Vinegar serves a key takeaway – one should not get influenced by claims made on social media, especially for medical treatment.
The big issue with the narrative is that there are too many time-jumps and one has to be very attentive, since the jumps are not linear. One thing that annoys is the first line in every episode by one of the main characters, “This is a true story based on a lie”. The direction and editing are sleek though, with cinematography and music adding to the narrative.
Screen Performances
Kaitlyn Dever stuns – nailing Belle’s manipulative charisma and underlying vulnerability while looking pretty and determined. Her near-perfect Australian accent for the role adds authenticity. Alicia Debnam-Carey shines as Milla, bringing warmth and conviction to a character that truly believes in her alternative treatment path. Tilda Cobham-Hervey delivers a heartfelt performance as Lucy, and instantly earns audience sympathy. Ashley Zukerman as Clive, Belle’s one stable support system, is solid in his role. The supporting cast is effective.
Overall opinion
Apple Cider Vinegar is a dark, witty, and thought-provoking series that balances drama, entertainment, suspense, glam and criticism of social media influence. While the ending may be a bit sentimental, the pace and performance make it an interesting watch.
Our rating
