Definitely one of Disney's better live action films, Cruella explore's the upbringing of the infamous 101 Dalmatians villain. Giving insight into a character who, prior to the films release, wasn't that all well known is a great idea. While the story does follow patterns similar to that of 2019's "Joker", I was oddly pleased with the fresh Disney spin, cinematography, acting and deeply rooted theme of the 70's.
You Might Not Like...
For Disney purest, this probably isn't the film for you...unless you are open to different interpretations and a fresh take on an old character. There are plot points and small details that may not align with how you recall the leading character. However, there was only one change in the end of the film that would seriously cause any confusion and / or doubt. Additionally the run time, sitting at 2 hours and 14 minutes, can leave you wondering why this film is so long...but I believed most the screen time is used well.
★★★★/5
Without going too much into the nitty gritty, my favorite parts of "Cruella" were...
The internal struggles within characters
B-Story character's (they were hilarious)
70's fashion was on point
Overall humor
Acting