Forbidden Fruits is The Craft meets Mean Girls dialed up to eleven. It brings its own flair to this well known trope before hitting the ground running and never looking back.
I love the classic story of mean girl leader welcomes a new girl into her clique and then things take an unexpected turn. We have seen it with The Craft, Mean Girls, and Heathers, just to name a few. Forbidden Fruits manages to take this trope and offer up something new and fresh. Lili Reinhart, Lola Tung, Victoria Pedretti, and Alexandra Shipp brilliantly lead this film, showcasing a group of friends who do care about each other when it all boils down to it, but they are not without their problems.
As a massive fan of stylized films, I have to admit I am obsessed with the look of this film. It brought me back to my mall rat days, where I would bounce between stores, the food court, and Orange Julius with my friends. These ladies work at Free Eden (essentially Free People) but there is something more sinister going on as it doesn’t take long to realize they are in a witch cult.
Forbidden Fruits is based on a play and set in one location – the mall. While we explore the food court, dressing rooms, and even the parking garage, keeping everything in one location can sometimes feel claustrophobic. Instead director Meredith Alloway uses this to her advantage – especially in the third act. I will not spoil anything but just know that I had the best time watching things play out in the final moments of this film.
The set design adds a stylized layer to nearly every shot. From neon signs that you absolutely should look closely at to the layout of the dressing rooms, Forbidden Fruits is gorgeous to watch. Throw in some truly iconic fashion looks and I couldn’t get enough.
As for the dialogue, this movie nails it. The vibes are late 1990s, early 2000s, and I was absolutely here for it. I love the dynamic betwen Apple, Cherry, Fig, and Pumpkin. It is equal parts relatable for any female who in a friend group and also exaggerated to add in the witchy elements.
The plot itself had me hooked from the very start: A group of young witches that work at the mall who are determined to stop anyone who does them wrong already has me all the way in. Because there are some movies with similar plots, I thought I had an idea of where things were going but I was so wrong.
There are some unexpected twists and turns, but what I enjoyed the most was the honest portrayal of four women who are very different, and yet very similar at the same time. I am obsessed with how things play out with these women. Each of them has their own issues, don’t get me wrong, but I still fell in love with them.
Forbidden Fruits gave me everything that I wanted and more. It feels like my favorite films from when I was a teen myself but also manages to deliver something unexpected. It is twisted, witchy, and a whole lot of fun. The script is brilliant and the performances are incredible. While I want so badly to talk about why the third act solidified me as a big fan of this movie, I will let you experience it for yourself.
Plus, any mention of Taylor Swift makes it a must watch movie in my book.
About Forbidden Fruits
At a mall store, Apple leads a secret witch cult with coworkers Cherry and Fig. New hire Pumpkin questions their sisterhood, forcing them to confront inner darkness or meet violent ends.
Forbidden Fruits played at SXSW 2026.
