Cinderella (2021)
It has taken me a long while to sit down and find the will to write a review for Cinderella (2021) and that’s because I feel incredibly bleh. Was it a good movie? Um, it wasn’t ground breaking. Was it enjoyable? I think this is subjective and some people would disagree with me, but it actually was pretty entertaining, to me, in a scaring-a-child-on-halloween kind of way.
This version of Cinderella (2021) stars Camila Cabello, Nicholas Galitzine, and Idina Menzel. Which is fitting since there is a surprising amount of singing. I did not realize going into this movie that it was a musical, so that was an interesting revelation. Cinderella is a dressmaker who yearns to start a business of her own, but women are not permitted that luxury. Her stepmother (Idina Menzel) wants Cinderella to get married to a local lord and give up her dreams in order to support the family financially. Then there is the prince (Nicholas Galitzine) who wants all commoners to be invited to the ball where he will choose his future wife. He already knows that he wants Cinderella, but she is unwilling at first to attend. Only after he convinces her it could be a beneficial business move does she agree to go.
James Corden also makes an appearance as one of Cinderella’s mice helpers, but let’s pretend that’s not true and move on shall we? This film only has one or two original songs and the rest are pop songs squeezed into the storyline. That was a little disappointing to discover, since they easily could have created some interesting songs given the new plot lines. Beyond that, the acting feels very Disney channel-esque. Cabello gives an alright performance for her first acting role. I know ultimately on-set direction played a part in how all of the performances turned out. Some of the cinematography also feels clunky. Scenes are filmed from odd angles and framed in unflattering ways.
This film was definitely not necessary, but it could have been better, especially given some of the new directions they took with the story. And there were moments that I enjoyed, like the quick comedy of the step sisters or the constant presence of the princess always trying to offer unwanted advice. Those were things that genuinely made me laugh out loud. I just wish there were more moments like those! Overall, would I recommend this film? If you’re under the age of 16 then sure. I think this is a fun film for younger audiences.