Curious Caterer: Forbidden Fruit

7.0/10 · 869 ratings20241h 24mWeirdness 3/10Bingo card

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The premise

A caterer's date turns awry when the singer at the event she's catering gets electrocuted, making it a crime scene she has to help investigate.

How unusual is it?

Honestly? Not very — and that's the charm. It plays the hits, which is exactly the point for a cozy night in.

Who’s in it

You’ve seen this pairing before: Nikki DeLoach and Andrew W. Walker have made 8 Hallmark movies together.

Behind the camera

Show

Wait, what?

The quirks and curveballs that make this one a little weirder than your average Hallmark. No spoilers, promise.

  • The protagonist's ex-husband is dating the primary stalking suspect
  • A 'Rhythm and Clues' murder board used in a suburban kitchen
  • Cyanide poisoning discovered because it killed a houseplant too slowly
  • A rock star reunion concert in a small town venue called The Vogue

Every trope, all in one place

Here’s everything this one has going on, from the setting to the way it wraps up. Tap any of the 25 to find more movies that do the same thing.

How it all plays out

Already seen it, or just can’t wait? Open this up for the whole story, ending included.

Full story (spoilers)
The film opens with a flashback to 20 years ago, showing the peak success of the band 'The Faithfuls' followed by a tragic car crash that killed their bassist and songwriter, Abby. In the present, Goldy Berry is preparing for her first official date with Detective Tom Schultz at the band's reunion concert. However, the band's manager, Nicola, convinces Goldy to cater the event last minute. Backstage, Goldy witnesses intense friction between the surviving members: lead singer Selena, drummer Jax, and guitarist Derek. During the show, Derek insists on a solo performance, but as soon as he touches the microphone while playing his guitar, he is electrocuted and dies in front of the audience. Tom begins an investigation, discovering the amplifier was intentionally tampered with to create a lethal circuit. The mystery deepens when Jax is hospitalized after consuming cyanide-laced ice cubes provided in the greenroom. Suspects include Sam, the sound engineer who is discovered to be working without a license; Nicola, who stands to collect on a 'key person' insurance policy; and Claire, a superfan dating Goldy's ex-husband who has been stalking the band for decades. Goldy creates a 'Rhythm and Clues' murder board to track the evidence, eventually noticing that the cyanide in the ice cubes killed her orchids at home. A breakthrough occurs when Goldy finds Derek's draft for new lyrics and a ruby ring, revealing that Derek was actually the driver in the crash that killed Abby 20 years ago and had covered it up. Jax, having discovered this truth from his mother's belongings, orchestrated the electrocution as revenge for his sister's death and poisoned the ice cubes (and himself) to deflect suspicion. In the climax, Jax holds Marla hostage at her coffee shop, but Tom and Goldy manage to talk him down. The film concludes with Goldy and Tom finally enjoying a quiet dinner at home, where they agree to be 'partners in crime' and finally share a romantic kiss.

Beat by beat

  1. Opening

    Goldy agrees to cater The Faithfuls' reunion concert, which serves as her first official date with Tom.

  2. Inciting Incident

    Guitarist Derek Russo is electrocuted and killed on stage during a solo performance.

  3. Midpoint

    Jax is poisoned by cyanide in the ice cubes, and the investigation reveals the sound engineer is a fraud.

  4. Turning Point

    Goldy finds a ruby ring and hidden lyrics that link Derek to a 20-year-old fatal car crash cover-up.

  5. Climax

    Jax is revealed as the killer and holds Marla hostage before being apprehended by Tom and Goldy.

  6. Resolution

    Goldy and Tom finally finish their date at home and commit to their relationship.

25 tropes in one movie

We counted 25 distinct Hallmark tropes packed into this one — a genuine greatest-hits reel.

How it stacks up

Where this one’s rating lands against every other rated Hallmark movie.

Rating 7.0 vs every rated Hallmark moviemedian 6.4This movie · 7.0567

Higher-rated than 92% of every rated Hallmark movie. The median is 6.4.

Where this one fits

The corners of the catalog Curious Caterer: Forbidden Fruit belongs to — handy if you’re after more of the same.

Curious CatererPart of the 5-film Curious Caterer series.

Lines worth quoting

The lines that stuck with us — the ones you’ll be repeating after the credits roll.

  • “I have never been so excited to air fry in my life.”
    — MarlaWhen she finds out they are catering for a famous rock band.
  • “We call it the Rhythm and Clues Murder Board.”
    — Goldy BerryExplaining her investigation setup to Tom.
  • “Ugh, Schulz, would you just kiss me?”
    — Goldy BerryThe final romantic moment of the film.

Meet the characters

Who’s who before you press play. Nothing here gives the ending away.

  • Goldy Berry

    Lead

    Caterer and Amateur Sleuth

    ObservantResourcefulDetermined
  • Tom Schultz

    Love interest

    Detective

    Romantic Interest

    ProfessionalPatientProtective
  • Jax Flannagan

    Antagonist

    Drummer

    Catering Client / Killer

    VengefulGrievingDeceptive
  • Marla

    Supporting

    Coffee Shop Owner

    Best Friend

    LoyalQuirkySupportive
  • Claire Weller

    Supporting

    Fan Club President

    Ex-husband's girlfriend

    ObsessiveIntrusive

Questions people ask about Curious Caterer: Forbidden Fruit

Where can I watch Curious Caterer: Forbidden Fruit?

Curious Caterer: Forbidden Fruit is available via fuboTV, Hallmark+ Amazon Channel, and Hallmark+ Apple TV channel. Streaming options change often, so check current availability before settling in.

How long is Curious Caterer: Forbidden Fruit?

Curious Caterer: Forbidden Fruit runs about 1 hour and 24 minutes, and was released in 2024.

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