“A true story based on a lie”
Melbourne, 2012. Belle Gibson is a teen-mother who never lived an easy life. Neglected by her mother, she ran away at the age of 12 and went on to fend for herself. Her colleagues have no interest in her, and the father of her child is an irresponsible young man. Belle is all alone in the world with her baby.
On social media, she follows the fascinating story of another young woman, Milla Blake. Diagnosed with multiple lymphomas in her arm, and faced with a necessary amputation, Milla decided to turn to alternative medicine. Her battle with cancer and her courage have won her the sympathy of thousands of followers. Belle then had an epiphany: she created an account on which she described her battle with cancer and offered cooking recipes designed to promote good health.
A chilling story, and another moving one. How many wasted lives…
Belle Gibson is a very real fraudster. Not content with lying about her alleged multiple cancers and supporting the idea that one can be cured through diet, she also embezzled impressive sums of money, supposedly intended for charity. She was eventually convicted, but with no consequences other than the loss of her reputation. The series shows the context that led to his mental problems. A pathological liar, she tries to lie to herself, to arrange all the facts to present another truth. On the other side of the scale, Milla (loosely based on Jessica Ainscough), is a beautiful person. She too encourages her followers to open up to alternative medicine, but she does so in all sincerity, applying the methods she advocates to herself. She’ll pay dearly for it.
The series is based on a true story that holds some cruel lessons. But it lacks nuance. Despite Belle’s painful childhood, it’s hard to feel sorry for her. And Milla is a little bit too perfect, despite her anti-chimio radicalization. Except for Clive, all characters are good or bad. It’s a little too Manichean for a series that deals with existential questions. On the other hand, the non-linear treatment of the story is rather annoying. Why do some writers think that breaking out of the chronological framework will make the story more interesting? It’s more or less the opposite.
Despite its weaknesses, the series is worth watching for its attractive cast, for the investigation led by the two journalists, and for the terrible lesson it reminds us of: faced with cancer, there is currently no solution other than violent medical techniques.
Mini-series, 6 episodes (60 mn), 2025, on Netflix
WITH : Kaitlyn Dever as Belle Gibson, Alycia Debnam-Carey as Milla Blake, Aisha Dee as Chanelle, Tilda Cobham-Hervey as Lucy, Mark Coles Smith as Justin, Ashley Zukerman as Clive, Phoenix Raei (seen in the Night Agent) as Hek, Susie Porter as Tamara, Matt Nable as Joe, Catherine McClements as Julie, Essie Davis (memorable Miss Fisher!) as Natalie, Chai Hansen (non less memorable Monkey King) as Arlo, Richard Davies as Sean