‘Cruella’ Is Mad, Bad, and About Family
Movie enthusiast Jon Ochiai reviews Disney’s prequel to “101 Dalmatians”, “Cruella”.
By Jon Ochiai
In Director Craig Gillespie’s “Cruella”, 12-year-old Estella, played by cute vulnerable Tipper Seifert-Cleveland, is expelled from private school. Estella is the genius little girl born with black and white hair, who dreams of being a fashion designer. She refers to her darker side, her darker persona as Cruella, who relentlessly fights back against bullies, who out her for being different.
On the car ride to their new home in London, young Estella confesses to her Mother Catherine, played by gentle compassionate Emily Beecham, “Mum, I’ll be good.” Tragedy unfolds. In the aftermath, Estella is an orphan, who bears tremendous guilt.
In the narrative arc 10 years later, Cruella, played by Emma Stone, discovers the source of her existence, perhaps even her fate. Emma’s Cruella poignantly says, “I’m not sweet Estella, try as I might. I never was.” The switch clicks. She says in her tear-smeared mascara, “The thing is, I was born brilliant, born bad, and a little bit mad. I’m Cruella.” Emma is amazing. So is “Cruella”.
“Cruella” is Disney’s prequel to “101 Dalmatians”. This is the origins story of iconic villain Cruella de Vil…
