Thursday, March 26

It’s the fast fashion of girly pop horror


March 25, 2026, 4:08 p.m. ET

Alexandra Shipp, left, Lili Reinhart and Victoria Pedretti in the movie "Forbidden Fruits."

It’s clear that “Forbidden Fruits” director and co-writer Meredith Alloway has marinated in plenty of ‘90s teen movies and the kitschy pop culture ephemera of that era. Her directorial debut, written with Lily Houghton and based on Houghton’s play “Of the woman came the beginning of sin and through her we all die,” is essentially a synthesis of “The Craft,” “Mean Girls” and “Clueless,” about a coven of catty witches who work at a boutique in a Texas mall.

But in “Forbidden Fruits,” it’s hard to shake the feeling that Alloway’s movie knowledge is just that — easily identifiable iconography without much innovation or depth.

Our clique comes storming down the mall food court in that classic slow-motion strut, letting us know right away what we’re in for. They’re known as “The Fruits” because they all happen to be named after them. The leader, Apple (Lili Reinhart), operates in the controlling mode of Regina George or Cher Horowitz; her lackeys are alt queen Fig (Alexandra Shipp) and blond bimbo Cherry (Victoria Pedretti). When they realize that a cute pretzel purveyor is named Pumpkin (Lola Tung), they quickly bring her into their circle as their fourth, seemingly only because her name fits the theme.



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