3 Surprising Lessons from Disney’s Cruella Movie + Cruella Discussion Questions and Review written by the Elf on 3/5/2021 This post contains affiliate links, you can find out more on our policies page or in the disclaimer at the bottom of the blog.

Disney’s Cruella Parent Review

Know before you watch the Cruella Movie

Movie: Cruella
Rating: PG
Age Suggestion: 12+
Running Time: 2 hr 15 min
Release Date: May 27th, 2021
Themes: Evil, Cruelty, Loyalty, Family, Power, Money

Warnings: Parents should know that the movie is rated PG-13 for good reason. Scary scenes with dogs, discussions about murders, and a fair amount of violence top my list of concerns to be aware of. *Special warning for kids who might be triggered by parental death and foster care/adoption- See the full spoiler warning in the “Is Cruella Appropriate” section.

Quick Summary of the Cruella Movie:

How does the deranged, puppy killing, villain of 101 Dalmatians come to be so, fashionably, unhinged?? And why is she so obsessed with Dalmations? This really gripping but sad movie is Cruella Devil’s origin story.

Disney’s Cruella Movie Discussion Questions: 

1) What was your favorite costume?
2) What might Cruella have done differently so that she could become more influential than her nemesis, rather than becoming evil herself?
3) Did you like what they did with the dogs in this movie?
4) Did you see any of the plot twists coming?
5) What or who could have helped changed Estella’s path?

Disney’s Cruella Parent Review
*Some Spoilers Beyond This Point*

-Is Cruella Worth Buying, Streaming Early, or Seeing in Theaters?-

For almost every Disney movie, our answer is usually yes to this question. HOWEVER, this time it is an unhesitant no. They do a lot of things really well in this movie, but in trying so hard to make a unique villain origin story they missed the entire point… for us to understand how Cruella became the Cruella we know from the original movie. There are other issues with this movie besides the story… It’s a solid no for people with parental or mental health trauma, plot holes, and more. Check out the ‘Is Cruella Appropriate’ section for more below.

-Is Cruella Appropriate for Kids?-
*MAJOR SPOILERS IN THIS SECTION*

No. The PG-13 rating is there for a reason. Just like with Maleficent.

I’ll start with a specific warning for foster/adoptive/guardian parents first. Cruella finds out that she was adopted and that her biological mother is both a little insane and the person who killed her beloved adoptive mom. There’s a lot of stereotypical and damaging baggage to unpack there. I do think that you could find some positive discussion points, however, it definitely might be more harmful than helpful to some kids/families. There’s also very little to redeem in the mental health storyline as well. Her mom’s a narcissist with a personality disorder…. therefore she must end up that way too. Or at least that’s what I was left thinking. And there’s nothing positive about that message.

Parents should know that there are moments with dogs that are really intense and scary. The dogs push someone off a cliff and terrorize people. There are several scary scenes. The theft and violence are definitely kept to or below a PG-13 level but are still prominent. Cruella isn’t completely unhinged and evil by the end of the film and you really empathize with her. And besides the fact that making her likable at the end is a really bad origin story, it could also be really confusing for kids who can’t really understand how a bad guy could make good decisions or how hurt people can heal or hurt other people.

-Cruella Movie Characters & Acting-

I’m a big fan of both Emma Thompson and Emma Stone and thought that they both did a fabulous job with their characters. The supporting characters were all very well cast. I hope to see another live action 101 Dalmations with this Anita and Roger. And while I loved the comedic relief that a few of the animals provided, I really was not a fan of the direction they went with for the Dalmatians.

-Script, Story, Cinematography for Cruella-

The visuals and costumes were absolutely stunning. Some of the shots, gowns, and visual effects were above and beyond Disney’s usual level of fabulousness. And while the storyline was not my favorite, the script had some really great moments. And personally, with only one exception, I did not see any of the plot twists coming. HOWEVER, the story overall was just… not up to what I expect from Disney. The whole point of an origin story is that you find out how the character acted the way they did in the original story. And while the Cruella movie gives us bits and pieces of that, you’re left with more questions than answers about WHY she was the villain in the original story…. so it’s either a really great set up for a live action 101 Dalmations or it’s just a really, really bad origin story. And I lean towards the second.

3 Surprising Lessons from Disney’s Cruella

1) How You Treat People Matters- Even When No One Else is Watching

How Estella was treated by classmates, bosses, and the Baroness impacted her deeply. How she treated the people around her impacted them deeply. Cruella and the Baroness’ hunger for power and authority seemed to make them feel like they had to walk all over people to seem powerful and in charge, when really they weren’t. But we also see the powerful impact of treating people in honorable and kind ways- and I’d argue that even in this movie, that was more influential than the negative.

2) Your Friendships Shape Your Life

Estella had friends who would sacrifice for her, and one that tried to help her be a better version of herself. But no one really to hold her accountable. No one to pull her back from the ledge of madness and go with her to get help. She didn’t really have any friends who were willing to truly advocate for her- but it goes both ways. She also wasn’t willing to connect with someone enough to advocate for them either. And that might have been her biggest, and most surprising, downfall.

3) You Are Not Your Genetics.

Well of course your genetics impact who you are, but you do not have to rise to or fall to what your biological parents were. You do not have to make bad choices because the people who raised you made bad choices. Because the people around you make bad choices. Your choices matter. Your genetics do matter too, but they aren’t everything. Perhaps if Cruella had invested a little more time with Anita, things might not have turned out the way they did for her. She decided to become the person she loathed (or at least that’s what we are led to believe from the original), and she did not have to.

Our Cruella Movie Conclusion:

If you leave this movie feeling a little unsettled like it did me, well good! I think that is the point. How does one of the greatest Disney villains, a deranged puppy killer, become so unhinged?! One bad decision, one broken relationship, at a time. A reminder that the little choices we make and the way we treat others are deeply impactful. And perhaps even more than that, a nudge to examine our own inner circles and ensure that we have friends willing to not only sacrifice for us but to hold us accountable as well. It’s not my favorite of the live-action movies and not one I’m inclined to rewatch, but it had some really fabulous scenes and moments. In the end though, while it had good moments, it just was not a good villain origin story.

Thanks for checking out this review- before you go, look through some of these similar posts!

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