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
  • fxmph - 1 May 2024
    MY FAVORITE FILM EVER!
    Cruella is one of the most amazing performances of Emma stone who played cruella so amazingly this move is on of my all time favorites it's unstoppable and it makes so excited and the story telling the script the music the fashion it's amazing I watched this move over 100 times it's so good ! 10 stars honestly. The film is such a great cinematic masterpiece the whole move set is absolutely incredible I love this move so much the cast the soundtrack it's such beautiful masterpiece it's shows us how a villain is created. And how the character "cruella" is on a mission to get her revenge and this movie shows us it so well.
  • dfloro - 1 February 2024
    Which Emma's better/worse, Stone or Thompson?
    While this turns out to be at least a hour hour too long (and, rather oddly, a bit too frightening for its target child audience), the two leads are incomparably good. Emma Stone as the super-sweet Estella AND the shockingly coiffed, not-even-slightly-sweet Cruella De Ville; and Emma Thompson as the utterly irredeemably evil (even after we learn of the twist ending) Baronness. In the deep supporting cast, actors normally stuck being cast as the classic British villain (e.g. Mark Strong) are, as it happens, actually not one. The dogs even have uniquely quirky personalities. As the live-action fare of Disney goes, this allows the 2 Emmas to spread their considerable acting wings and fly over our heads-and poop on us! What a crazy, wacky mixed-up world we live in. I grant this a strong 7/10 star rating, despite the absence of much-needed film editing. And as the Oscar attested to, the costumes are sublime!
  • bear1955 - 9 October 2023
    Amazing Eyeful But No Nuance And Too Indulgent
    This was one I almost went to see in theater when it came out. But I waited and they just showed on on ABC. I had some doubt upon the start how this was an origins story for that Cruella de Vil. I thought the name was coincidental, and just a Disney self-ripoff to start some new story arc. It took well into the film to be convinced it was THAT Cruella.

    That Disney English Fixation

    I swear a sky or elevated view and pan, toward St. Paul's, near the end of the film was a very quick homage to a moment of London scene in Mary Poppin's opening or Main Title.

    We are introduced to the character as young, smart, very misfit in attitude and appearance Estella. A girl who goes is sent to a country private school in the UK but is taunted badly from the start. .Her mom removes her and start a journey to London to a new life and (we presume very expensive private school - but never gets there). They have one mysterious stop and a castle-like estate, when a key and horrific events changes their lives. I don't know if any viewers of the film knew how the stage was being set for lives of young Estella / Cruella's and The Baroness intertwined lives, that is the point of center of the film. A few more characters who are their allies one way or another, are about to be introduced.

    Too Dark For Young Children

    Crimes of many types, pay off for the two protagonists. Their evil gives them their power. It also is a part of what make them quite stylish and fab. The film works very hard to show that over and over. It is carried off better and more appealing to a mass audience than Divine ever did back in the day; this movie is also more suavely gay than any John Water's film except for Hair Spray.

    Lots Of 'Reading' and 'Snaps'

    But it was not too gay for me. I think it reflects the Disney company (ESG and such) values mandated and narrative creative employees are carrying forth. Fortunes of some of their other films have not turned out so well. I understand others being turned or realizing Cruella is not a young child's film Note the moments of implied brutality are dark ill-humored beyond slapstick.

    If It Had Been Made In The 'Old School Days

    The whole thing could have been successful in the ends of a prior generation at Disney. I would have like to what might have been created from the same basic story elements, created at least as far back as 30 years ago might have been. They would have edited and moved it along better INHO, and been less indulgent.

    Back when they would have commissioned and original music. No matter that I like the pop used in Cruella. The pop-rock music use was clever but in a way that is no better than what has been already overdone in TV commercials. In a negative way what they would have done way back when would have meant less over-the-top visuals and different production design and costumes.

    Not Oz, Though There Is A Sort-of Toto

    Particularly, the old-time crew would not have let the The Countess' dalmations be intense attack dogs, ready to kill on command.. At least though threatened, we did not see anyone torn apart by them. So, not a true horror movie LOL. They did perpetrate the death of one character early on. Who was on screen briefly and was the only one who was close to being good and pure.

    The dalmation guard-attack dogs at the Baroness castle did accomplish the death of one character early on. Who was on screen briefly and was the only one who was close to being good and pure. Guess who?

    The movie had too much k9 time. They were integral for much of the story. So the pack of brutal dalmations were taken away to the den of Cruella and her two long-term partners in crime and henchmen for one more key ingredient of the story. Their own cute little dogs and sometime partners in mayhem also wore thin.

    The conclusion easy enough to understand and be satisfied with the fates of all. Except one. And so we have the rise of the ultra fab, twisted Cruella. And the silly way they made her full character name came about stick in the mind too.
  • yonatan-65129 - 27 December 2022
    i loved it!
    I had no interest in seeing "Cruella"...none at all. After all, I really hated the two previous live action films based on the "101 Dalmatians" series. But my daughter insisted I watch it with her, as she said it is a silly but really enjoyable film...and after seeing it I agree. But I would also add that it is very well written...and I loved some of the dialog. I was expecting to give it a 2 or 3 and end up now giving it a 9!

    The story in no way involves Cruella trying to make coats out of puppies. Instead, it's a prequel in which you see what helped to create the evil and god-awful Cruella we've all come to love in the full length cartoon. I'd say more...but think it's just a film you see for yourself.

    Overall, an amazingly well written and very entertaining film. My only complaint, and it's a minor one, is that the music is too much...too loud and distracting. But otherwise, it's a terrific and very entertaining film.
  • akhilsyngal - 5 September 2022
    Villaness of fashion
    There is so much that you will love about this film . The music , cast , fashion & the clothes . The outfits reflect the time period of 60 & 70s. Which is actually a prominent time for fashion .

    I feel this movie lacked something which could have made it better . I am not saying it's a bad film but as an audience I really had some expectations as I felt the plot was a bit weak . I guess whoever wrote the story was not into the mark as it turned out to be predictable after some pout of time .

    Having said that I feel both the Emmas did a fantastic job which made the movie entertaining to watch.
  • emiliepoulain - 12 July 2022
    So enjoyable
    One of the best performings of Emma Stone. Great soundtrack. Amazing photography. I dont know what else to say because I need more characters. Just watch it you wont regret it.