'Cruella' A Review

Cruella is a heist/comedy film, a defacto origin story of the 101 Dalmatians villain, a bit odd and interesting coming from Disney as the tone is part Maleficent part Joker. As a child Estella is a fashion obsessed rebel but after being expelled her and her mother have to move to London, on the way they stop at a lavish estate where a tragic accident occurs. Estella, who's truculent side her mother named Cruella(Emma Stone), meets and makes a life with two grifters Jasper(Joel Fry) and Horace(Paul Walter Hauser) in London. As a birthday present Jasper gets her a job at a high end fashion boutique and she begins the pursuit of her career as well as uncovering her mysterious past.

Stone is best when playing the character's emotional layers and conflict, less so when she ascends into the operatic villainy we know from the animated movie and Glenn Close's portrayal. There is some tension here which mostly falls on Stone to untangle of attempting to make Cruella a compelling, sympathetic hero but also interweaving the cackling maniacal relish we know is to come. Fry and Hauser both add substantially to the film with charm, humor, and excellent chemistry between the trio. There is a story worth telling of simply these three struggling to make their way in the world. The heavy is played with crystalline and delicious precision by Emma Thompson a bit reminiscent of Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada but so much more icy and psychopathic, she's absolutely wonderful. 
 

The costumes are a true triumph, the period setting somewhat understated but effective, the use of CGI relatively restrained, the soundtrack full of some period appropriate bops. The issue is the pacing, the run time is somewhat overlong with the classic feint of an ending prior to the actual end, and during that middle slow down in pacing the title character is the most confused. It is not necessary to telegraph, or even acknowledge, the existence of the unredeemable villain Cruella will become, the film takes pains to build out the character but then undercuts it by making her 'born bad' ie crazy, its confusing and it doesn't work. 

A rich, transportive, character study of one of Disney's best villains, hampered slightly by pacing and a need to connect the dots to the source material.

Currently in theaters and available for rent on Disney+

Rent It.