Tonight Netflix unveils its next Australian original in the highly-anticipated Apple Cider Vinegar.
Apple Cider Vinegar is the story of Australian wellness fraud Belle Gibson (Kathern Denver), who we meet when she it pitching career revival to crisis management PR expert Hek (Phoenix Raei). It’s clear that Belle is nothing but savvy, but a crisis manager isn’t going to help Belle.
Having built up an online wellness empire based on her miraculous survival after a brain cancer diagnosis, everything falls apart due to one minor problem – she never actually had cancer.
On the flip side to Belle is Milla Blake (Alycia Debnam-Carey), who is everything Belle is claiming to be – diagnosed with undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma in her arm and foregoing the recommended amputation to pursue a ‘natural’ treatment path. Milla is supported by mum Tamara (Susie Porter), dad Joe (Matt Nable) and partner Arlo (Chai Hansen).
Milla’s best friend Chantelle (Aisha Dee) also finds herself caught in Belle’s orbit, meanwhile, terminal cancer patient Lucy (Tilda Cobham-Hervey) gets sucked into Belle’s claims, and whose partner Justin (Mark Coles Smith) works as a journalist tyring to uncover the truth.
Told in a non-linear fashion, Apple Cider Vinegar takes us through the rise and fall of Gibson, from her relationship with her mother Natalie (Essie Davis), to how she built an empire with ‘The Whole Pantry’ app, and the fallout the ensued from her lies unravelling.
Written by Samantha Strauss, Anya Beyersdorf and Angela Betzien, Apple Cider Vinegar explores the dangers of social media amid the rise of Instagram and wellness influencers. While Denver is the main focus, Dee and Debnam-Carey also give impactful and strong performances, and the already star-studded cast also includes Ashley Zukerman, Richard Davies, and Catherine McClements.
Netflix makes it clear that there has been dramatic changes to the story and that the real life Belle Gibson has not been paid or consulted, so sit back and indulge in Netflix’s most anticipated originals.
4 Stars
Apple Cider Vinegar lands on Netflix at 7:00pm AEDST tonight.
