A Movie Review: Cinderella

Cinderella. Ella (Lily James) lives an idyllic life. She has a doting father (Ben Chaplin) and a caring mother (Hayley Atwell). Even though her family is wealthy enough to afford maids, she doesn't mind doing chores of her own such as selecting eggs for breakfast. She has the perfect parents and she is the perfect daughter.  Disaster  hits the family.  Her mother dies from a serious health condition.  This disaster brings the father and daughter closer together.  Years later the father marries a widow (Cate Blanchett).  Ella's new stepmother has two daughers: Drisella (Sophie McShera) and Anastasia (Holliday Grainger).  They are a spiteful trio.  Another family disaster hits.  This time, Ella's father dies while away on a business trip.  Ella soon finds herself being treated like a servant girl.  Will a prince (Richard Madden) arrive to save her from this fate?

This movie starts out a little corny.  Ella's life is just way too perfect.  There is this gag me with a spoon reaction.  This movie; however, just grows on you.  Ella becomes this lovable character.  To a degree, one even feels a touch of sympathy for the stepmother.  I say a touch, because even though she was also dealt an unexpected blow, her behavior towards Ella is deplorable.  Then as the film is coming to a close it feels that it is ending all too soon, because there is way more to explore in this fairy tale world.

Cate Blanchett does a wonderful job as the spiteful stepmother.  She is deliciously evil.

When Lily James looks upon her prince, there is just love in those eyes.  There is some great chemistry between Richard Madden and her.

What did sidetrack me slightly:  when watching Cinderella dance with her Prince, I couldn't help but wonder how many times Richard Madden stepped on that dress during filming.

What I found interesting.  So Ella is named Cinderella when her step family finds her covered in soot.  One of her stepsisters calls her Cinder-ella.  Towards the end of the movie, she introduces herself as Cinderella.  Why wouldn't she use the name that her doting father and caring mother gave her, Ella?