Cruella

Cruella

In 1970s London amidst the punk rock revolution, a young grifter named Estella is determined to make a name for herself with her designs. She befriends a pair of young thieves who appreciate her appetite for mischief, and together they are able to build a life for themselves on the London streets. One day, Estella’s flair for fashion catches the eye of the Baroness von Hellman, a fashion legend who is devastatingly chic and terrifyingly haute. But their relationship sets in motion a course of events and revelations that will cause Estella to embrace her wicked side and become the raucous, fashionable and revenge-bent Cruella.

  • Released: 2021-05-26
  • Runtime: 134 minutes
  • Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Crime
  • Stars: Emma Stone, Emma Thompson, Joel Fry, Paul Walter Hauser, Mark Strong, Tipper Seifert-Cleveland, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Emily Beecham, John McCrea, Kayvan Novak, Jamie Demetriou, Abraham Popoola, Leo Bill, Javone Prince, Steve Edge, Paul Chowdhry, Ziggy Gardner, Joseph MacDonald, Niamh Lynch, Andrew Leung, Ed Birch, Dylan Lowe, Paul Bazely, Ninette Finch, Sarah Crowden, Harrison Willmott, Jack Barry, Asmara Gabrielle, Tom Turner, Crystal Wingx, Radhesh Aria, Tony McCarthy, John Wolfe, Haruka Abe
  • Director: Craig Gillespie
 Comments
  • malmevik77 - 20 May 2024
    Perfect example of an over the top performance for an over the top villain
    Cruella

    Another live action Disney movie based off of their animated film, and the book that inspired that, Cruella is a prequel, showing how her life evolved from orphan to extraordinary fashion designer with a love for Dalmatian fur.

    Disney has made the perfect movie by casting Emma Stone and Emma Thompson in the two lead roles, and giving them the freedom to express themselves with dry wit, sarcasm, vicious one liners, and adult themes not normally seen. The movie is rated PG 13 for a reason.

    This is not a film for young kids. The death of Cruella's (originally named Estella) mother near the beginning of the film is quite traumatic. She blames herself and goes about living her life as part of a petty street gang in London, while dreaming of fashion design. As she gets older, she impresses The Baroness, a woman whose narcissism is unparalleled.

    Once Cruella's full personality emerges out of Estella's hopes and dreams, the special effects and fashion, coupled with a spectacular 1970s rock score, the film shines. Cruella, plus Horace and Jasper and their dogs, conduct capers to ruin the Baroness and promote Cruella into superstardom.

    In addition, the character of Artie, is an openly gay fashion designer who sells vintage clothing. For Disney, this is groundbreaking as he is the first openly gay character in one of their live action films. It is not a blatant, in your face, portrayal, but one that makes sense to the narrative.

    I cannot praise this movie enough. It is fun, over the top, beautiful and refreshing. Disney needs to make more films like this. Go see it, but not with young children that cannot handle the suspense and adult themes.
  • Mysterygeneration - 12 February 2024
    A striking artistic beginning
    An aesthetically spectacular origin narrative of a Disney villain that includes a wide range of makeup, costumes, and props. Despite its length and self-consciousness, the movie is stylish because of its use of fashion design.

    Emma Stone plays the title role in the picture, directed by Craig Gillespie, and Emma Thompson plays her antagonist. It's a smart and unusual plot. Even if it borders on the ridiculous, it's still a funny and engaging film.

    "Cruella" transports us back in time to the birth of Estella, a newborn with an odd hair shock (half white, half black) and a tendency for misbehavior. When 12-year-old Estella's mother Catherine drops her off at her new school, she warns her not to let the "Cruella" side of her personality get the better of her. However, Estella's attempts to be nice are short-lived as she becomes the target of bullying frequently and responds with a vengeance.

    Following a catastrophic event, Estella relocates to London with her dog Buddy and the Dickensian orphans Jasper and Horace. They rely on pickpocketing and theft for their subsistence. In London during the 1970s, Estella works for the Baroness, a strict taskmaster who owns three Dalmatians, and aspires to be a fashion designer.

    A mystical group of actors that included Joel Fry as Jasper, Mark Strong as The Baroness' servant, John McCrea as Artie, and Stone and Thompson. The tale revolves around the Dalmatians, who are mentioned in a moment before the credits that recalls both the live-action 1996 version and the animated 1961 version.