In the improbable case that you haven't noticed yet, streaming platforms are on a true-crime spree. Back to back, hobby investigators are glued to the screens as they dive into baffling crimes and all their stomach-churning details. The whole thrill about true-crime series is that viewers can get fully invested in some of the most shocking crimes and hear the testimonies of the victims' families, survivors, or even the killers or scammers themselves. Considering this, there is nothing worse than a highly anticipated true-crime documentary that simply fails to capture all aspects of a complex scam.
Netflix's newest addition to the true-crime genre, Belle Gibson: The Search for Instagram's Worst Con Artist, lacks so much that it is, well, truly a crime. Attempting to unveil the mysteries surrounding the infamous Aussie influencer and author of The Whole Pantry cookbook and app-turned-health fraudster, the Netflix series does pretty much anything but that. The Search for Instagram's Worst Con Artist barely scratches the surface, so let's take a look at its faults.
The Danger to Belle's Followers Close
Belle Gibson began a blog in which she talked about how she was diagnosed with terminal cancer but is up and healthy thanks to her nutritious diet. Gaining hundreds and thousands of followers, many of them cancer patients themselves, the young woman quickly became a role model, and many believed her when she acted as though drinking her green smoothies and eating her fruit bowls was the reason why she didn't need traditional medicine. Keeping this in mind, it is safe to say that the documentary simply overlooked how extremely dangerous Belle's fake cancer treatment actually was to others.
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Thousands of people have admired her for looking healthy and fighting her terminal cancer with nothing but nutritious food. Just as portrayed in Netflix's new crime drama series Apple Cider Vinegar, starring Kaitlyn Dever, it led many to completely reject traditional medicine and solely rely on these natural remedies. Needless to say, the consequences of such a decision might be fatal. Once her ex-friend got the ball rolling and unveiled Belle's insane scam, Belle disappeared from the public, her fanbase started to turn on her, and the rest of her lies were uncovered.
The Netflix documentary particularly highlights her disappearance since Belle still hasn't paid her fine, which she received after appearing in court, to this day. While the search for her obviously plays a significant role in the short documentary, whatever caused Belle to go to such lengths doesn't.
The Cause of Belle Gibson's Behavior Close
As if the missing portrayal of the actual danger Belle's followers were put in and the lack of taking responsibility isn't already enough to call Belle Gibson: The Search for Instagram's Worst Con Artist arguably one of the worst true-crime documentaries out there, there is another one which certainly adds another confusing layer on top of it. Usually, when the family of an offender or a victim is brought in to share their perspectives, it offers a new perspective and sense of understanding. In the case of Belle Gibson, however, her family's views only made things worse. Let's be honest.
Belle's mother, Natalie, unfortunately had already passed away, but her brother, Nick, and stepfather, Andrew, share their own and some of Natalie's experiences with Belle. Nick and Andrew mention that Belle had a rather difficult relationship with her mother, and it reached a point where Belle just packed her things and left. The then teenager didn't just disappear, though. Belle actually moved in with a neighbor down the road, who was single and lived by himself. The news of a teen girl living with a grown stranger caused some understandable suspicion among viewers of the documentary, but the problematic living situation was rather shrugged off by the family and wasn't thematized much further.
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It seemed as though the stepfather and brother have some theories about what could have happened in that house, but it only makes the entire series even more troublesome. The question of why no one stepped in and made sure that Belle received some proper care is unanswered. It's not that farfetched to assume that traumatic events in Belle's childhood triggered her to lie about her health, which is something that can be found in various movies about childhood trauma. Telling these immense lies and coming up with these health issues might be a trauma response, as she received the attention she never really got before when she was struggling.
The true-crime series takes a look into Belle's past, and it shows that the food blogger and alleged terminal cancer patient lived an entirely different life during her teenage years. She was part of the skater community and loved to party, but what's even more troubling is the fact that she has always made up stories about different health issues, including multiple open-heart surgeries. It was seemingly her way of getting attention and feeling cared for, which is something that might relate to this possible, dark past and trauma.
The documentary on Netflix really should have explored these points in much more detail instead of solely scratching the surface and leaving viewers with more questions than before. Belle Gibson: The Search for Instagram's Worst Con Artist is available to watch on Netflix. Apple Cider Vinegar, the series based on the true story, is also streaming on Netflix.