We're all familiar with the Disney classic 101 Dalmatians, premiering in 1996 and featuring Cruella de Vil, but a recent release gives us a look into the origin of the female antagonist. The villain is aptly named-- first name a derivative of “cruel” and last name a separation of “devil”-- as she dawns a twisted, wicked wardrobe made out of puppy fur. With a solid band of skills, a couple of loyal partners in crime, and a killer soundtrack, Emma Stone embodies the spirit of a true outlaw and gives an awe-worthy performance. Cruella exposes the childhood tribulations she faced, and the sequence of events that ultimately led to her treachery, and leaves the audience wondering if she’s really all that bad.

 

The movie opens with the birth of the main character, and moves into her youth. She constantly acts out at school, and is bullied due to her split half-white, half-black hair, which she dyes red in an attempt to fit in. Her name is Estella, but her mom nicknames her “Cruella,” an accurate description of her behavior. Her mother is supportive of her creativity and passion for fashion, but ultimately also knows that her “unladylike” behavior will pose great challenges as they both grow.

 

Estella and her mom, in the face of poverty, take a trip to visit one of their wealthy acquaintances at her palace. The scene is dark and broody, foreshadowing the tragedy that is soon to come. Estella is instructed to stay in the car while her mother handles their business, but her wily curiosity pulls her out of the confines. As she tears through the party, trying to be stealthy, she alerts the wealthy homeowner’s dogs and opens a fatal can of worms. The dogs chase her out onto the green, and take her to where her mom was pleading for a loan. In a rush, the dogs push both Estella’s mom and their prized red amulet necklace over the cliff.

 

We then find Estella, now orphaned, sleeping on the cement around a fountain in town. The next morning, she makes friends with two scoundrels named Horace and Jasper. The trio ventures around the city together and live in an abandoned building-- cut to 10 years later, and they are making ends meet by stealing. While Estella never imagined herself to be a thief, she admits that it’s much better than the alternative of being on the street.

 

An accident at her temporary job, at which she and her creativity were stifled, lands her the position of her dreams working for the Baroness. She brings a fresh edge to the couture company and quickly rises up the ranks and becomes the new favorite. Spending more time with the Baroness, however, exposes to Estella the fact that she is a terrible person. She is manipulative, short-sighted, and jealous-- and she absolutely hates to be outshined.

 

One day, while the Baroness is enjoying her afternoon power nap, Estella finds the precious red amulet in one of her safes, and it all clicks. The Baroness was the woman whose dogs killed her mom, and she had stolen the necklace that meant so much to Estella. Thus, she vows to get it back… in style, of course.

 

The night that Estella puts the plan in action marked the beginning and the end of two eras. It was the end of the camaraderie between her and the Baroness, and the end of a long period of searching. At the same time, it was the beginning of the new age of Cruella, of her self expression that is simultaneously unapologetic and fueled by vengeance.

 

Estella makes her first reappearance as Cruella at one of the Baroness’s balls. She, Jasper, and Horace are on the prowl for the red amulet necklace, and they know that the best way to get into her head is by upstaging the Baroness. Cruella once again dawns the split hair and an ingenious red dress to the black and white party. Though their first plan goes awry, the trio embark on a season of Banksy-style exhibitions, thefts, and outfits that leave the whole city wondering who Cruella is.

 

After weeks of tormenting the Baroness and making the most artistic messes, it comes to light that the wretched woman is in fact Estella’s birth mother, and that she’d been given away right after she was born. Enraged and powered by the taste of revenge, Estella confronts the Baroness who tries to kill her just as she did her mom. But, as always, Cruella had a plan, escaping the grasp of death and ruining the Baroness’s reputation in one fell swoop.

 

The movie ends with Cruella, the rightful heir to the Baroness’s estate, making her own mark on the property. While neither Cruella nor Estella are the best role models, this film is important for young people to see, especially young girls. It demonstrates the power of passion, and how far a person’s creativity can take them. I do have to admit that I left the theater with an ear full of great songs, and the motivation to reignite my own artistic style.