CRUELLA: Delicious, Devilish Fun
101 Dalmatians was, frankly, not a part of my childhood. Five-year-old me had my head up in the clouds and strongly preferred genies, Greek gods, magical roses, and Chinese armies over talking dogs whose fur is being sought after by a crazy woman. Even the 1996 live-action adaptation, featuring an iconic performance by Glenn Close, was not as special to me as it probably was for most other viewers in my demographic. I simply did not grow up with these films.
And yet, when news broke of Disney offering a new take on Cruella’s story, with Emma Stone in the titular role, I could not be more excited. The anticipation and hopes were through the roof not because I loved the source material, but because I was glad Disney was willing to revisit a film with zero fantasy or action elements in its story. In order for a new Cruella story to shine, it will need to go back to basics – great acting, energetic writing, stylish direction. So basically, Disney would have to do the exact opposite of what it has been doing for the past ten years.
I am happy to report that not only is Cruella one of the best Disney live-action remakes so far, but it’s also just plain delightful as a movie on its own.
So Much Storytelling Energy
Cruella shines brighter than most other Disney remakes because of its active desire to tell a wicked story and have fun while doing it. While many of Disney’s more fantastical stories rely on CGI eye candy to fill in the narrative space, Cruella immediately begins with fourth wall-breaking narration that bears resemblance to director Craig Gillespie’s previous film I, Tonya.
Even though the first act does tread through familiar territory when it comes to character backstories, including an entire opening segment where Cruella is played by a lovely child actress (Tipper Seifert-Cleveland), the script wastes no time to get to Stone, and Gillespie keeps the camerawork spontaneous and unpredictable. At one moment, we glide left and right across an attic space that feels theatrical and comfortably lived in. At another moment, we careen down long hallways and crowded spaces of a busy clothing store and the offices behind the scenes, only to land at a punchline.
Gillespie’s directing choices give his film a palpable sense of groove and personality, making Cruella a joyful watch, even with its slightly overlong runtime of two hours and fifteen minutes. Aside from one big reveal near the end of the second act, this is a fairly predictable story, told with a mixture of genres and a lot of fun energy from the entire cast. The comedy is dark. The character decisions are outrageous. The sequences are bold. Fans of I, Tonya, and even Yorgos Lanthimos’ The Favourite will happily eat this up.
Killer Costumes and Production Design
Mark your Oscar ballots right now, folks, because Cruella is a front-runner for Best Costume Design. Every outfit in this film is a showstopper. Exploring class, high fashion, and the punk rock movement in the 70s, Gillespie has crafted himself his very own take on The Devil Wears Prada.
Disney’s wonderful sense of world-building this time around is largely thanks to the interior sets, built with memorable architecture and use of color. The attic that Jasper (Joel Fry) and Horace (Paul Walter Hauser) live in feels small and poor but tidy and cozy; a messy contrast compared to the stiff, rigid green pillars and white tiling that shape the fashion house run by the Baroness von Hellman (Emma Thompson). Lastly, the film dedicates its entire third act in the Baroness’ mansion, whose enormous hallways and elaborate decorations create a more sinister version of the ballroom sequence in Disney’s 2015 reimagining of Cinderella. Despite the story taking place in London, the film feels very much like it has its own distinct world. Everyone seems to behave a certain way, and everyone seems to have a role to fit in.
Which, brings me to the characters…
Terrific Performances from the Whole Cast
Stone may have already won an Oscar for her star-making turn in La La Land, but Cruella de Vil may be the role she was born to play. She puts every ounce of dedication into this performance, from her voice and facial expressions down to her physical ticks and sense of theatricality. Written in the film as Estella, who must keep her altar ego “Cruella” at bay, Stone dances between an aspiring fashion designer and a glamorous diva with all the power in the world.
She is perfectly capable at carrying Cruella alone from start to finish, but even the supporting cast threatens to steal the spotlight. The rivaling Emma (Thompson) holds a commanding presence on screen as the Baroness, whose cunning and cold demeanor allows room for both humor and suspense. She is everything Estella dreams of being and not being. Any moment with both Emma’s together on screen is precious.
Equally wonderful performances are found in Fry and Hauser, who provide the excitement of a heist movie and the substance of a comedy-drama to the story, instead of being just one-dimensional comic relief. We also cannot forget the great Mark Strong as the Baroness’ valet and a small but substantial offering by Kirby Howell-Baptiste, whose character Anita Darling brings not only a fun Easter egg, but a fun return to the tabloids that Gillespie explored in his last film. At one point, Cruella denies having committed a crime, but then retaliates by saying “people do need a villain to believe in, so I’m happy to fit the bill.” Certainly, this is familiar but enticing material.
Lastly, there is something to be said about Jon McCrea’s performance as Artie, who has been billed yet again as the first openly gay character in a live-action Disney film. Though the word “first” is easily debatable, the word “best” fits comfortably under McCrea’s name. This actor shares so much chemistry with Stone on-screen with the little time they have; Cruella and Artie can seriously just have their own movie.
Cruella: Absolutely Delightful
Cruella is a killer, wicked breath of fresh air. It throws out all the CGI eye candy and lets the costumes and performances shine, and the end result is just delightful.
Though the plot doesn’t take too many surprising turns, and the runtime could still use a trim of about fifteen minutes, there is so much that is being offered to us by Gillespie and the cast that it’s really hard to say no. Furthermore, everything in a film becomes irresistible when the characters are being bad; it’s too much fun to be bad. Audiences will swoon over every occurrence of Emma Stone strutting along in an exotic outfit, nailing that cackling laugh that has made Cruella de Vil such an iconic villain.
Featuring some breathtaking costume designs and a soundtrack that keeps up with the script’s lavish personality, Cruella is a welcome return to the good, dark, bold filmmaking that we haven’t seen in a long time from Disney.
Did you see Cruella? What did you think of the film? Share below!
Cruella was released in theaters worldwide and on Disney+ Premier Access on May 28th, 2021.
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