Disney’s Cruella: A Charming Film with a Strong Female Lead and Fabulous Fashion

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We all knew Disney’s Cruella would be wonderful. The trailers alone were powerful pops of women behaving badly in glamorous ways. Needless to say, Cruella did not disappoint.

As someone who is not a fan of the original 101 Dalmatians, I have always been a fan of Cruella. Awful right? But I have always separated her from her dog-killing ways in 101 Dalmatians. And this film redeems her of all of that harmful baggage. She’s just a talented woman done wrong, who then makes it all right by pushing herself to be the best at what she does - fashion, making an epic diva scene, and not caring about what other people think.

Set in London during the 1970s, Cruella revolves around Estella Miller, an aspiring fashion designer, as she embarks upon the path that leads to her unveiling and new life as a major fashion designer, and icon, known as Cruella de Vil.

Girls need a Cruella in this day and age. They need to see a woman who knows she is talented, see’s the problems in the world, and takes them on with style, grace, and a bit of pizzazz. The fashion elements of this film are fun and beautiful. Emma Stone is a delight in every scene, no matter what her hair color. And Emma Thompson is an amazing Baddie who is actually bad and deserves a bit of payback, classic fairytale style. And of course, there are dogs - and some of them, but not 101 of them, are Dalmatians.

The film does at times feel like it is a few different films - childhood Estella, grown up starving artist Estella, full on Cruella, but I do not think it takes anything away from the overall joy that is watching Cruella on the big or small screen. My daughter and I are already planning to watch it again and again.

Through it all - her childhood days, her rise in the fashion world as Estella, working for the Baroness, and her discovery of the Cruella within, there is no way that I would ever call Cruella evil, or bad, or scary. Of course she is the heroine you want to root for and when she emerges into her own new life, you are happy for her and in awe of how fabulous she is.

You can pay the extra on Disney plus to get early access to Cruella, or check your local movie theaters to see where it is playing at a movie theater near you.

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