I tend to like characters that are pegged as the antagonist, but really have a story there to show why they are the way they are. It also shows that these characters might not necessarily be antagonists as a whole, but are protagonists of their own stories, and Cruella presents that perfectly. For over a decade, Emma Stone has been one of my absolute favorite actresses. Her performance here was astounding, charismatic, and simply spellbinding at every turn! Watching her transform from Estella to Cruella in this movie is simply incredible! The difference in her personality through each stage of the movie shows her tremendous range as an actress, and is indicative of why I have become a big fan of her stellar work over the years. She puts her all into her characters, and she made both Estella and Cruella two unique characters that we both root for, because her ambition to achieve her dreams are done in such a fun rebellious way. Estella and Cruella represent the yin and yang in all of us, and represent two different parts of her life as well. Estella is her timid, but kind, honest, intelligent and innovative yin, while Cruella is her captivating, cunning, and charismatic yang...with a potential killer instinct! Both sides matter, and both sides work hard to create the icon that has become a huge part of Disney lore, and pop culture as a whole, and it's all through the brilliant performance by Emma Stone. Throughout this movie, she blends dark comedy and drama showing how layered the character is. This was probably my favorite performance since Margot Robbie in I, Tonya in 2017 so far, and that's an interesting observation as Cruella was directed by Craig Gillespie, who also directed the former.
While Cruella is definitely Emma Stone's show, the rest of the cast adds to each part of the movie to make it an incredible ensemble piece. Emma Thompson gives a great villainous performance here as the Baroness. Thompson always has been an actress I felt gets underrated in the discussion of great actresses, and it's no exception here as she really pushed a lot of the dramatic turns. I thought the chemistry between her and Stone was exceptional here, and really adds to the narrative with each scene they share. One of the most important aspects of this movie is the dynamic between Estella/Cruella and the Baroness, but another part of the movie that's just as important is the proof that Cruella has a big heart and that's seen with her friendships with the lovable Horace and Jasper, who you might remember from the animated movie. The duo of Paul Walter Hauser and Joel Fry was great here. It reminded me of Abbott and Costello movies I used to like when I was younger. Hauser's Horace would be Costello, while Fry's Jasper would be Abbott. Watching Estella/Cruella, Horace, and Jasper pull off fun heists as an unstoppable trio is entertaining at every turn, and provides so much excitement for the audience selling well choreographed action sequences, as well as in the moment thinking to get to the next step of the angle. Cruella constantly shows that she will do whatever it takes to protect those around her, especially those two, even if she sometimes loses track of her focus, and gets lost in her rage. However, she always finds a way to pull herself out of it, and a lot of it is because she always remembers those who are there for her. I always see that in her character, and it's amplified through different turning points of the movie.
While the cast, writing, and overall story is excellent, some of the most impressive aspects of this movie are in the costumes, make-up, and music. The dresses are gorgeous from the color designs to the way the fabric is cut. It just looks amazing, and when characters rock the dresses or outfits, the clothes act as living, breathing characters due to the colorful charisma of the character making them. The make-up adds to Estella's initial transition from milquetoast to maniacal. The soundtrack proves the importance of music in movies as pop songs of the 1960's & 1970's add to personality quirks and tweaks as well as the world of fashion and the showmanship present in it. The colors, sounds, and lighting/darkness in scenes from fashion shows to heist scenes to dramatic monologues to rivalries, and everything in between makes a complete film here.
With a phenomenal performance by Emma Stone, a great story filled with twists, gorgeous costume and fashion design, a colorful palette, clever action sequences, excellent soundtrack, a brilliant blend of drama and comedy, as well as an overall impressive presentation by Disney, this movie gets a 5/5 from me.
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