Forbidden Fruits Review: Sisterhood Gets Sinister In Campy Mall Horror

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Malls can feel empty and depressing – long hallways with harsh lights, and the glare of the sun through the glass roof. The stores often feel artificial, like movie sets rather than real shops, and the food courts are full of unfamiliar restaurants. The novel Forbidden Fruits takes place in one of these isolating environments and follows four young women – all named after fruits – who work there. As they navigate their jobs on the sales floor, they develop a close bond, but it quickly becomes clear that their ‘sisterhood’ is more akin to a controlling group than a supportive community.

Director Meredith Alloway immediately establishes the film’s bold tone in the opening five minutes. We meet Apple (Lili Reinhart, perfectly cast), sitting in her car in the Texas heat before work. A man in a nearby truck is openly masturbating and making eye contact with her. Without hesitation, Apple throws her hot latte – from her Stanley Cup – through his window, then confidently walks into the mall, heading towards a store like Dillard’s and ultimately, to Free Eden.

She spends time with Fig, played by Alexandra Shipp, and Cherry, played by Victoria Pedretti. These two characters are popular girls at the mall – they always grab the best table in the food court, decorated with fake plants, to pick up their pre-made salads. This setup feels like something out of a classic early 2000s teen movie, but the filmmakers – Alloway, Houghton, and Diablo Cody – bring a modern, more cynical edge to the story. The film explores these women’s ideas about feminism and friendship, looking at them through a unique perspective that blends spirituality and consumerism. While sometimes a bit superficial, it’s an engaging and captivating watch, much like enjoying a perfectly ripe pear.

Forbidden Fruits Perfectly Blends Early Aughts Teen Comedy With 2020s Nihilism

The story unfolds through Pumpkin (Lola Tung, recently seen in the final season of The Summer I Turned Pretty), a new girl working at a pretzel shop who really wants to be part of Apple’s group. She manages to join, and as the story progresses, we see each character fall into familiar roles within the group dynamic: Pumpkin is the wide-eyed newcomer, Cherry is the sweet and easily influenced one, Fig is the cynical and smart member, and Apple is clearly the leader.

Forbidden Fruits freely borrows from and also wants to be seen alongside films like Heathers. While clearly inspired by those movies, it’s also aware of its modern audience and how those characters would behave today. The film playfully references The Devil Wears Prada, its characters lament their poorly done tattoos (“Anyone with a heart tattoo is deeply lonely,” one character says), and express anxiety about missing out on experiences – like being part of a group they call the Dead Dads Club.

Tung’s direction really shapes the film’s atmosphere. Pumpkin, the newcomer, initially seems captivated by the girls who welcome her. However, after being accepted into their group—marked by a confession to a Marilyn Monroe reflection—it becomes clear she has hidden intentions. She’s too curious to simply follow Apple’s lead, and too clever to be fooled by Cherry’s innocent facade. As Apple’s controlling behavior becomes obvious and Pumpkin’s suspicions about Free Eden are confirmed, the film shifts from a story of female empowerment to something much darker.

Okay, as a movie fan, what really struck me about this film is how it skewers this whole wellness culture thing. It feels like spirituality’s been totally co-opted by consumerism – like their rituals are basically tied to the shopping calendar. And this idea of ‘having each other’s backs’ feels super fake, more about control than genuine support. It reminded me instantly of those performative friendships you see everywhere on social media. The story centers around this former employee, Pickle, who gets pushed out, and her reappearance starts to expose everything. These girls are trying to find meaning in their spellcasting, doing it right in the Free Eden changing room of all places, but it quickly becomes clear that whatever ‘enlightenment’ they’re chasing is totally empty and unsatisfying.

Okay, so I just finished watching this, and honestly, it’s a fascinating character study wrapped in a surprisingly tense drama. These women – Fig, Cherry, and even Pumpkin – are all adrift, seemingly without any real purpose. But Apple? She sees it. She understands the whole thing is a performance. The carefully constructed sisterhood, the elaborate routines they put on for shoppers… it’s all fake. They’re acting out their roles in this massive, almost absurd American landscape – the mall. And it’s clear the mall itself is fighting for relevance, clinging to life. But Apple isn’t going to let it go down without a fight, and she’s cleverly using the mall’s internal power dynamics to play a really messed-up game, asserting control in some seriously unsettling ways. It’s less about what’s happening and more about why they’re doing it, and Apple is the key to unlocking that mystery.

What sets Forbidden Fruits apart is its ability to feel both current and classic. The film largely takes place inside a mall, creating a sense of confinement. While the characters use cell phones – as you’d expect – it avoids featuring any obvious social media platforms. It’s a fresh, modern look at female friendship, but clearly inspired by teen movies of the past. However, it lacks the hopeful feeling common in those earlier films. While past teen movies weren’t always cheerful, Forbidden Fruits deliberately rejects that optimism, leaning into a more pessimistic worldview.

Okay, so Forbidden Fruits isn’t exactly a deep, meaningful film, but honestly, it’s a blast. It’s packed with memorable lines, wonderfully over-the-top outfits, and a seriously wild finale. It doesn’t bother with subtlety – think of it as Mean Girls meets The Craft, totally embracing its inspirations and firing off some seriously funny, cutting insults. It’s just a really fun, unapologetically mischievous movie, and I’ve been craving that kind of ‘bad girl’ energy in cinema lately. It’s not trying to be high art, and that’s perfectly fine with me!

Forbidden Fruits hits theaters Friday, March 27.

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2026-03-26 19:31