At the beginning of each episode of *Apple Cider Vinegar*, the characters directly address the audience with the phrase, “This is a true story based on a lie.” This compelling assertion sets the stage for Netflix’s limited series, which examines the ascent and decline of Australian influencer Belle Gibson, portrayed by Kaitlyn Dever (*Booksmart*). Gibson established a wellness empire on the assertion that she had healed her brain cancer through natural methods. The catch? She never had cancer at all.

The series investigates the unfolding of Belle’s deception, situating it within the larger framework of Instagram’s rise and the growth of influencer culture. It also dramatizes the lives of individuals affected by her fabrications, including a competing wellness influencer and a cancer patient who hangs on Belle’s every statement. While these subplots aim to showcase the far-reaching consequences of Belle’s actions, they also present an odd dichotomy. On one side, *Apple Cider Vinegar* critiques the glamorous realm of wellness influencers; conversely, it narrates a profoundly emotional cancer journey. Regrettably, neither perspective receives the thorough treatment it warrants.

### *Apple Cider Vinegar* brings Belle Gibson’s narrative to vivid life.

The show utilizes a non-linear storytelling approach, opening with Belle’s 2015 encounter with a crisis management PR firm after her deceptions were revealed. It then backtracks to her initial false assertions of having brain cancer, her promotion of a “natural” lifestyle as a remedy, and the launch of her successful app, *The Whole Pantry*. However, the disordered timeline comes off more as a bid to replicate prestige TV rather than a substantial narrative choice.

Belle’s tale is merely one component of the larger narrative. The series also features Milla Blake (Alycia Debnam-Carey, *It’s What’s Inside*), a fictional adaptation of real-life wellness influencer Jessica Ainscough. Unlike Belle, Milla genuinely faces cancer. Diagnosed with undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma in her arm at the age of 22, she dismisses medical recommendations for amputation and opts instead for “natural” remedies such as juicing and coffee enemas. Her blog garners a devoted following, including Belle, who perceives Milla as a mentor for her own constructed identity.

The primary cast additionally includes Lucy (Tilda Cobham-Hervey), a breast cancer patient motivated by Belle to forego medical treatment, and Chanelle (Aisha Dee), Milla’s close companion who becomes ensnared in Belle’s manipulations. Each character symbolizes a distinct type of victim: Lucy endures physical consequences from her misplaced faith in Belle, while Chanelle finds herself caught in a financial fraud.

### Parallels to *Inventing Anna* and tonal difficulties

Given its emphasis on deceit, *Apple Cider Vinegar* inevitably evokes comparisons to Netflix’s *Inventing Anna*. Similar to Anna Delvey, Belle Gibson is a con artist with audacious “girlboss” moments that elicit both horror and fascination from viewers. However, Belle’s deceptions revolve around cancer, a notably more emotionally charged issue. This creates a clash in tone, as the show’s polished, Instagram-influenced aesthetic frequently feels incongruous with its more serious themes.

The series is filled with stylized sequences, such as an opening scene in which the cast performs a choreographed dance to Britney Spears’s “Toxic” while donned in dazzling gold dresses. Social media posts, comments, and emojis appear on screen intermittently, visually underscoring the influence of platforms like Instagram in Belle’s ascension. While these elements critique the curated, artificial essence of influencer culture, they also risk glorifying it.

### A superficial examination of social media and wellness culture

Despite its eye-catching visuals, *Apple Cider Vinegar* scarcely scratches the surface of how social media fosters harmful health narratives. The motivations driving Milla and Belle’s obsession with “natural” lifestyles remain unclear, relegating their dedication to these principles to almost empty narrative devices. Lucy, the character most directly injured by Belle’s deceit, is largely sidelined throughout the series, undermining the show’s examination of wellness fraudsters.

Milla’s arc, in particular, is challenging to endure. Her refusal to address her cancer and her insistence on imposing her “all-natural” way of life upon her family approach body horror—not due to graphic depictions, but because of the psychological and physical repercussions of her decisions. These moments are profoundly unsettling, yet they depend more on viewers’ personal interactions with cancer than on the show’s capacity to convey the weight of the circumstances.

### A meta approach to true crime, with mixed outcomes

Alongside its exploration of social media and wellness culture, *Apple Cider Vinegar* reflects on its own identity as a true crime show. Each episode opens with a disclaimer stating that Belle Gibson did not receive compensation for the dramatization of her story. At various moments, the series reminds viewers that certain names and events have been fictionalized, even implying they should “Google what happened next.”