If you are a fan of films such as “Jennifer’s Body,” “The Craft,” “Bodies Bodies Bodies” and even “Mean Girls,” you need to see the new female-led horror/comedy “Forbidden Fruits.”
I recently saw the new movie in theaters, and I am obsessed. “Forbidden Fruits” is an independently distributed film, or indie. It is directed and written by Meredith Alloway and produced by “Jennifer’s Body” writer Diablo Cody. Alloway based the film on the stage play by Lily Houghton, “Of the woman came the beginning of sin and through her we will all die.” The film follows a coven of witches operating in the upstairs of a mall store, where they are employed. The store is called Free Eden, a clear parody of the popular clothing store Free People.
The main cast of the movie is female-led. Apple, played by Lili Reinhart of “Riverdale,” leads the coven called “The Fruits.” Apple is the cold-hearted head of the group, who is hiding a mysterious past. The other members, also named after fruits, include Pumpkin, who is the newest member of the coven. Pumpkin is played by “The Summer I Turned Pretty” actress Lola Tung. This is Tung’s first film role. Victoria Pedretti, known for “You” and “The Haunting of Bly Manor,” plays Cherry, a naïve and loyal follower of Apple. Film actress Alexandra Shipp plays Fig, a member who is starting to question and doubt the practices of the coven. Rounding out the cast is influencer Emma Chamberlain, making her acting debut as Pickle. Pickle is a former member of the coven who has since been excommunicated.
The film brilliantly mixes comedy with horror elements, specifically body horror, toward the end of the film. Just a warning to anyone reading, I had to cover my eyes while watching some of the gory scenes! The comedy is what stood out the most in the film. The movie is satirical, targeting the Gen Z demographic with pop culture references, slang and even the use of Stanley Cups. While oftentimes movies tackling the Gen Z experience feel tacky and out of touch, this film approaches the topic in a flawlessly satirical way.
The film feels like it was written by someone within the target demographic, rather than simply making fun of it. The movie also takes stabs at consumerism and micro-trends, with the clever use of the setting being a mall. The Fruits themselves make reference to this by noting how each fruit they are named after represents a different season of the retail cycle. The viewer can easily see the rotating trends of fashion, similar to the trending looks seen on social media. Even I could not resist the adorable charm bracelets worn by The Fruits. This cyclical tendency is modeled on The Fruits, as the film takes place over the course of many months.
The film industry can be so male-dominated. It is very refreshing to see a film made by women for women. Especially when the film represents imperfect and complex women, whose stories are not centered around men and patriarchal ideals. With this iconic cast and crazy story, this film has the potential to cement itself as a new cult classic.