If Mean Girls Was Set at a Free People in 2026, You’d Get Forbidden Fruits

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Ever walked out of a Free People store wondering where all your money went? The new horror-comedy, Forbidden Fruits, explores that feeling – and takes it to the max! Premiering at SXSW and in theaters March 27th, it’s like Mean Girls meets a scary movie, with a touch of the supernatural and plenty of trendy slang.

This is Lola Tung’s first significant role since starring in The Summer I Turned Pretty. After the film, she discussed how the two characters differed. Joking about the darker nature of her new role, and dressed in a dramatic black outfit – a lingerie top, skirt, and cape – she quipped, “I guess you could say Cousins is pretty dangerous.”

I recently sat down with director Meredith Alloway and writer Lily Houghton, and honestly, I was thrilled they even considered me for this role. As an actor, the chance to do something completely different is what keeps things exciting, and this project definitely delivered. I play Pumpkin, a woman who’s moved to the Dallas area and is working at a pretty basic pretzel stand. But her life gets a major shake-up when she’s unexpectedly chosen to be one of the sales associates at Free Eden, a trendy boutique that… well, let’s just say their logo bears a striking resemblance to Free People’s.

The movie introduces three young women who work at the food court and immediately establish their dominance. They dress alike – short shorts, Stanley mugs, and matching bracelets – and people quickly clear out of their way, calling them “mall royalty.” Each woman has adopted a fruit-themed name: Lili Reinhart plays Apple, the bossy leader with striking red hair; Alexandra Shipp is Fig, a brilliant scientist who’s lost herself trying to please others; and Victoria Pedretti plays Cherry, a vulnerable character who Apple controls and tries to “fix.”

The film is adapted from Houghton’s 2019 Off-Broadway play, Of the Women Came the Beginning of Sin, and Through Her We All Die. She explained in a post-screening discussion that the play was inspired by her personal experiences working in a retail store after graduating from college, shortly after her father’s death.

She described a strange period of mourning she experienced while working in a basement decorated only with fairy lights, listening to music. It made her think about what life would be like if everything above ground ended, leaving only herself and the women she was with, and that’s where the idea for her play came from. She realized women are often unfairly blamed for problems and then expected to solve them without any support. The story of Eve in the Garden of Eden, and the idea that women are often seen as a source of temptation, heavily influenced her work. She explained that women are taught from a young age to suppress their femininity to avoid being seen as ‘tempting,’ and this can create psychological distress. The movie, she said, explores the impact of these expectations on women.

Reinhart truly shines in this movie. The film immediately grabs your attention with her bold confrontation of a man in a car – she provocatively encourages him, then throws her coffee on him. She consistently steals the show with fantastic outfits, like a faux leather top with striking buckles and a plunging neckline, and memorable lines, such as, “When I was a salesgirl, not yet a saleswoman.” She’s a natural leader, keeping her followers in line by subtly putting them down. For example, she tells Cherry, “You have to stop trying to make every story about you.” She also enforces quirky rules, like limiting all communication with boys to emoji-only texts and forbidding Cherry from having sex on Wednesdays.

Alloway creates a sense of unease using classic horror methods. The mannequins in Free Eden, with their wide-open mouths, feel unsettlingly like creepy clowns. Sudden shocks make us question the motives of both Apple and Pumpkin. By the time Pumpkin participates in a coven ritual and is compelled to confess to their god, Marilyn Monroe (a figure known for being uncontrollable), it’s clear that something is deeply wrong.

The director researched the visually striking style of 1960s Italian thriller films, looking for examples of suspenseful movies that centered on female perspectives. She was also inspired by photographer Nan Goldin’s honest and unfiltered portraits of women. She wanted to portray things realistically, even the less glamorous aspects, saying, “I didn’t want to avoid showing the harsh realities – everyone knows how unflattering dressing-room lights can be.”

The actresses also contributed their own creative ideas to their roles. For example, Reinhart told the casting directors she envisioned her character, Apple, with red hair and just two short nails. Pedretti did her own makeup for the shoot. The cast grew very close because they were filming for twelve hours a day in an empty, dark mall. Their schedule was unusual – they often started work at 8pm and didn’t finish until 9am, sometimes even fitting in shopping trips together during the day. (Tung is a big fan of buying socks!)

The movie clearly showcases the sharp, distinctive style that made Cody a well-known screenwriter – a relatively uncommon achievement after winning an Oscar for Juno and creating fan favorites like Jennifer’s Body. She also became a producer through MXN Entertainment (with IFC distributing the film). During a Q&A, she explained that when Meredith and Lily approached her with the project, she was immediately enthusiastic. She said that after their first video call, everyone involved instantly knew they wanted to move forward – there wasn’t even a need for discussion.

You’re not imagining the connections to Mean Girls! The movie was filmed in the same mall and even recreated the famous fountain for an important scene. There’s a direct reference too, when one character compares someone to “effortlessly Regina George.” However, the clothes are all new – think high-fashion meets the edgy style of Hot Topic, with a touch of bohemian influence. As costume designer Alloway put it, “It was like Rick Owens, but at the mall!”

The audience at SXSW really enjoyed Forbidden Fruits, especially its contrasting themes. The film follows young women who crave freedom and want to be heard, but find themselves trapped working at a mall. Ultimately, it leads to a lot of intense violence and definitely leaves the door open for another movie.

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2026-03-19 04:00