APPLE CIDER VINEGAR
Starring: Kaitlyn Dever, Alycia Debnam-Carey, Aisha Dee, Tilda Cobham-Hervey, and Ashley Zukerman.
Creator: Samantha Strauss
PAIGE
What Apple Cider Vinegar excels at in this true-ish story of deception is not merely recounting Belle Gibson's (Kaitlyn Dever) scam, but serving as a window into a society that is all too ready to trust influencers. This limited series is one of those dramas that’s hard to watch but impossible to look away from. It is told in a disjointed, time-skipping manner, which unfortunately loses the momentum for each character's development, but at least has a number of other ingredients that add flavor to its story, primarily its strong ensemble led by Dever, who I must say nailed her Australian accent.
KATIE
Apple Cider Vinegar is a thoroughly entertaining, if slightly disjointed, series that focuses on the life and fraudulent career of Belle Gibson (Kaitlyn Dever), an Australian wellness blogger who deceived countless people. It presents a compelling look at how easily early social media influencers could amass followers and lie to their naïve audiences, while empathetically exploring what drives people to seek attention and validation online. The overlapping timelines hurt the pacing and were slightly confusing, but the gripping story and witty framing device kept me engaged. Plus, Dever’s performance is incredible, her accent is spot-on, and she is exceptional at portraying Gibson’s deluded determination.
