My Hot Take On Cruella

 Now that I have the classic Disney song stuck in your head, "Cruella De Vil, Cruella De Vil if she doesn't scare you no evil thing will!" Let's get into this movie review. 

I saw the movie Saturday morning (a week ago) because I was joining my wonderful friends from KSL's  Fan Effect Podcast yesterday for our deep dive into the film. I will post the link on the blog as soon as it's published. I also was just genuinely curious about the film and where it was going to go. 

Overall I LOVED the movie! I was tempted to go home and buy it on Disney+ so Andrew and I could watch it and I could get his take on it, but we then had family plans so that's why this is showing up late and I never bought it... also they announced that they're making a sequel to this movie today and it reminded me that I needed to write up on this!

***Spoilers beyond this point and the whole plotline, jump down to END OF SPOILERS****

So let's get on with it. 

It starts off with Estella who is born with black and white hair as is considered a fashion genius as she grows up with her single mother. But her alter ego Cruella, gets her into trouble, especially when boys make fun of her hair or the way she dresses. She's nearly kicked out of her school until her mother says she's withdrawing her daughter. 

They make their way to London but her mother needs to make a stop at a large mansion. Estella is asked to stay in the car and hold her mother's necklace that's a family heirloom. Her mother leaves to talk to someone and Estella, cannot wait in the car, as there is a large party happening in the mansion and everyone is dressed so well - she has to see what's going on! She sneaks in with her dog buddy (who is not a dalmatian). She then gets into trouble and runs out of the party being chased by three dalmatians, only to see her mother with another woman as they're speaking at the edge of a cliff. The dalmatians then run at her mother and push her off the edge of a cliff killing herher. Estella is frightened believing that she is the one that is at fault for killing her mom, and runs away from the party and somehow makes it to London where she goes to a fountain to mourn the loss of her mother. 

She becomes friends with two other orphans named Horace and Jasper. They grow up together becoming talented con artists and thieves but Estella still loves fashion and gets a job with the Baroness who is THEE top fashion designer in London (she's like 18 at this point). Estella then comes to learn through a series of events that the Baroness killed her mother - that was the woman her mother was talking to the night she was killed! And to top it off the Baroness also has her mother's necklace. Estella then plans a heist to get the necklace back and more happens. She then becomes her alter ego Cruella and gets back at the Baroness.  

*** END OF SPOILERS****

Cruella is actually really cool in this movie. She's smart, witty and her sense of style is stunning. The music is fun, the characters are great - in fact Jasper is probably my favorite character outside of Cruella. He's like the only one with a moral compass... even if he's a little thief. 

I will tell you though, after my chat with my KSL friends Andy and KelliAnn, don't go into this movie thinking it's an exact prequel to the animated film or the Glenn Close live action film that came out in the '90s. There are many loopholes and the film doesn't quite explain some things about Cruella. Sure there are lots of fun Easter eggs, but if you're going in to get a great explanation of why Cruella is a psycho dog killer, you're not going to get it. Maybe they'll explain more in the sequel.... 

What you WILL get is a film that's half a heist film and half a... a film about a girl who loves fashion... and dogs. Her grunge look in one of the scenes is so great, and the way she shows up the Baroness is thrilling. 

If there was a moral to this movie, I would have to say that it's keep your family and loves ones in your life is better than giving into hate, and giving in to your creative side is probably the best thing you can do... even if people tell you to not to because your evil genius just shows a bit. 

Overall, I really do want to see the film again, I loved Emma Stone aa Cruella, she made some choices that I thought were so good and she really owned it. Emma Thompson was so great, and she does a great job at acting like a pompous boob. 

It made me kind of mad that they made Cruella so cool when in her future, she's going to be such a horrible unforgivable person, so just enjoy the Emma Stone Cruella, while you still can. 

Excuse me while I buy it on Disney+ to watch again this weekend.