On Thursday, June 3, the Disney crime comedy Cruella, based on Dodie Smith's novel 101 Dalmatians, will be released in Russia. The film was directed by Craig Gillespie, who previously directed the films "Tonya Against All", "And the Storm Came", "Night of Fear". Writers include Dana Fox (Once Upon a Time in Vegas), Tony McNamara (The Favorite) and Aline Brosh McKenna (The Devil Wears Prada). The main role went to the star of "Favorite" and "La La Landa" Emma Stone, and her opponent, the Baroness, was played by Emma Thompson ("Love Actually", films of the series "Harry Potter").
The film is dedicated to the history of the formation of the heroine of the popular novel and its adaptations - designer Cruella De Vil, née Estella. Even in childhood, she could not be called an ordinary child - Estella was always different from her peers. She adhered to her own, non-standard outlook on fashion and showed others her firm character and rebellious spirit. Nevertheless, Estella led a completely normal lifestyle for any schoolgirl. Until she had to endure the tragedy: Estella's loving mother died in front of her eyes, and the girl herself was left completely alone in an unfamiliar city with no roof over her head and no means of subsistence.
From that moment and without interruption, the heroine learned to survive.
In this Estelle was helped by new friends, thieves Jasper and Horace, who eventually became a real family for her.
In its early years, the company was interrupted by petty theft, and over time, it organized larger scams.
Despite the hardships, the heroine never forgets about her dream - to become a fashion designer.
Therefore, in the course of the story, the girl still has to build a career (and reveal the secret of her birth).
© Still from the movie "Cruella"
The first part of the picture, dedicated to Estella's attempts to survive in the big city and break into the fashion industry, looks in one breath, easy and fun. The heroine, together with her friends and two dogs, masterfully organizes various scams, and soon gets a job in a fashion boutique. True, for the lowest position - as a cleaner. But even there Estella does not abandon attempts to demonstrate her talent to competent persons, sometimes finding herself in comical situations. Once her efforts are crowned with success - the girl gets a dream job and falls into submission to the successful designer Baroness, a spectacular and self-confident woman with a difficult character.
This suggests a comparison of "Cruella" with the tape "The Devil Wears Prada", but on further viewing these associations disappear almost immediately. Mainly - due to the colossal difference in the characters of the heroines.
The plot drags on almost from the first appearance of the adult Estella on the screen. However, at some point, the viewer may ask the question: what does “101 Dalmatians” have to do with it? At first, in Cruella, there is little reminiscent of more text-based adaptations of the novel. A couple of times in the frame, three Dalmatians flicker, as well as Estella's school friend Anita, who received the surname Darling in a new interpretation. The main character's hairstyle is also recognizable, but Estella, on the advice of her mother, tries to blend in with the crowd and hides her two-tone hair under a less noticeable burgundy wig. In a word, the audience is shown an independent picture, only occasionally referring to a well-known plot.
However, everything changes dramatically after about the first hour of screen time.
The heroine, inside which from the very beginning there is a struggle between a good girl and an evil genius, finally decides to give free rein to the second.
Then Estella, with her indecision and wig, disappears, and the daring, bright and eccentric Cruella comes into play.
Like a character from an animated film adaptation, she clumsily, but very fervently cuts in a retro car, demonstrates spectacular outfits and goes ahead to her goals - be it a career, the search for justice or revenge.
© Still from the movie "Cruella"
The filmmakers describe how Cruell's traits came to be - for example, an unusual surname, an interest in stains, and an ominous laugh.
The transformation of Estella into Cruella is, in principle, well thought out: this is not an arbitrary attempt to justify a negative character, which often happens with movie villains, but a completely convincing story.
Even as a child, the heroine becomes a witness to extremely tragic events that can turn anyone's views on life.
At the same time, in the case of Cruella, there is no need to talk about a typical movie villain, and this is the main discrepancy between the film and the original story.
The heroine Stone not only does not want to kill dogs - she has always loved them very much.
And the adventures in which the girl gets involved are not due to a desire to get an unusual fur coat.
Probably, many fans of the "101st Dalmatians" may not like this turn of events, but it seems to be the most adequate solution that allowed preserving the vivid character of the heroine and at the same time not violating any moral norms.
However, even the most nostalgic viewer will find a lot of pleasant things in "Cruella".
In the film, albeit infrequently, there are very recognizable moments, for example, reflections on the similarities between pets and their owners.
The post-credits scene was especially charming.
Probably, she is able to touch everyone who once watched the animated film adaptation of the novel.
© Still from the movie "Cruella"
With all the merits of the plot of "Cruella", the desire of the authors of the tape to explain their ideas as clearly as possible is puzzling.
As if underestimating the viewer's abilities, filmmakers convey some of the heroine's thoughts and feelings through protracted monologues.
And it's not even that the episodes where Cruella talks to herself look strange: her speech completely duplicates what was said from the screen earlier.
Numerous outfits deserve special attention of the audience.
They were created by costume designer Jenny Bevan, who won two Oscars for her projects Room with a View and Mad Max: Fury Road.
Her work for Cruella reflects the style of the 1970s, some of the costumes show the influence of the punk style on the fashion industry.
Almost every appearance of Emma Stone on the screen in chic and amazing outfits has been turned into a spectacular performance, in addition to clothes, including a memorable exit and perfectly matched musical accompaniment - fragments of hits from Queen, Rolling Stones, Deep Purple, The Doors, Nina Simone, Judy Garland sound in the film , David Bowie and many other stars.
The climax is a fashion show accompanied by the song I Wanna Be Your Dog.
Emma Thompson is practically as effective in her no less villainous image.
Her style is more classic, but not devoid of interesting elements.
Ultimately, a real and very exciting war unfolds on the screen between two somewhat similar heroines in the brilliant performance of Oscar-winning actresses, and they compete not only in cunning, determination and cruelty, but also in a sense of style.