Cinderella (2015)

2015 • 105 minutes

4.5

7.91K reviews

84%

Tomatometer

Rating

Eligible

About this movie

The story of Cinderella follows the fortunes of young Ella (Lily James) whose merchant father remarries following the death of her mother. Eager to support her loving father, Ella welcomes her new stepmother (Cate Blanchett) and her daughters Anastasia (Holliday Grainger) and Drisella (Sophie McShera) into the family home. But, when Ella's father unexpectedly passes away, she finds herself at the mercy of a jealous and cruel new family. Finally relegated to nothing more than a servant girl covered in ashes, and spitefully renamed Cinderella, Ella could easily begin to lose hope. Yet, despite the cruelty inflicted upon her, Ella is determined to honor her mother's dying words and to "have courage and be kind." She will not give in to despair nor despise those who mistreat her. And then there is the dashing stranger she meets in the woods. Unaware that he is really a prince, not merely an apprentice at the Palace, Ella finally feels she has met a kindred soul. It appears her fortunes may be about to change when the Palace sends out an open invitation for all maidens to attend a ball, raising Ella's hopes of once again encountering the charming Kit (Richard Madden). Alas, her stepmother forbids her to attend and callously rips apart her dress. But, as in all good fairy tales, help is at hand, and a kindly beggar woman (Helena Bonham Carter) steps forward and – armed with a pumpkin and a few mice – changes Cinderella's life forever. A live-action feature inspired by the classic fairy tale, "Cinderella" brings to life the timeless images from Disney's 1950 animated masterpiece as fully realized characters in a visually dazzling spectacle for a whole new generation.

Rating

Ratings and reviews

4.5

7.91K reviews

Shane Shomaker

September 28, 2015

Worth every word! A very well thought out homage to the this classic tale! I think the message " Have courage and be kind " was well emphasized throughout! I watch this film alone as I usually do before premiering to the family so I may pay attention to every detail. (Btw, THEY LOVED IT!) Having watched the original many times as a child and the reverence my mother holds for the story, I was taken away and in awe. The lack of cinder-elly cinder-elly for some was for me, NOT A MARK MISSED! This is an interpretation of the storyline. The whimsy is there, when not busy focusing on the exact variations between the animated version or the 2015 take. The pumpkin carriage, lizard footmen, goose coachman and the four white horses turned from ella's besties the four mice! Of all the makes, this rendition is at the top. The only thing that would have put me over would be whitney houston singing Impossible, It's possible. But that's my fairytale. LOL!

147 people found this review helpful

Andrina C.

November 1, 2015

I honestly wanted them to stray from the story line. Like they did with Maleficent. ( Tell me how the step mom became evil, and her girls to be so bratty. What happened to her first husband. etc....) It was a wonderful put together movie but I wasn't thinking about the movie as much as I could have been. I was thinking this is just like the cartoon version. It was very disappointing when it was over and nothing had surprised or intrigued me.

36 people found this review helpful

Chantelle J.

February 23, 2017

Loved this movie because it touched on the Disney Classic but elevated the character relationships. For instance the Disney song "A dream is a wish year heart makes" changed to: Elevating the strong presents of a Cinderella's mother. Sure I liked the Disney song but that message "Have Courage & Be Kind" set the level of Cinderella being a women that had character to living life with a hopeful outlook always. I love the movie wasnt close to the movie scene by scene it payed off to elevating a message to be good & not let the darkness of life keep away the light life has to offer.