Cinderella marks the acting debut for singer Camila Cabello and the role couldn’t be more perfect for her.
From Kay Cannon (Pitch Perfect), Cinderella is a modern movie musical with a bold take on the classic fairytale. Cinderella (Camila Cabello) has big dreams and with the help of her Fab Godmother (Billy Porter), she goes on a journey to make those dreams come true.
Easily one of the most adapted fairytales, there aren’t many new ways of telling Cinderella’s story. If you try to name a “fresh” angle, odds are there is already a movie or television series that had that same “clever” idea. Even the marketing and promotion for this new film leaned heavily on this concept, which has been done before: look at films like Ever After or A Cinderella Story. With the odds stacked against it, Kay Cannon’s Cinderella manages to be a charming and fun movie.
Cannon understands that there is very little that can be done to set this story apart from its predecessors and ends up intensifying the fun of it all. Adding a musical element is nothing unique to Cinderella movies, especially for those who grew up with the Rogers and Hammerstein versions, but the decision to turn this tale into a jukebox musical is a smart element to this movie.
With so many songs in this film, it’s weird that Cabello gets only one major solo, the infectious “Million to One.” It’s definitely the film’s big anthem and they let you know it, having her sing it three different times throughout the film. As for Cabello, she is fantastic in her cinematic debut. Her Ella is spunky, with believable aspirations and Cabello is just charming and adorable. It will be interesting to see what the next acting gig will be for Cabello, but whatever it is she is gonna kill it.
Cannon takes great care to ensure that Ella’s internal and external motivations serve to drive the story forward. This story has our Ella wrestling with a compelling decision, how do the prince and her love each other while attaining their respective career (or at least her since the prince never really verbalizes what he wants). Their superficial struggle, class structure, and wealth status are still part of the tale’s DNA, leading to an empowering musical number, “Dream Girl,” lead by Ella’s stepmother Vivian (played by devilish Idina Menzel).
Cabello is a magnetic screen presence who is just a natural at comedic timing, infusing her character with vulnerability, compassion, and charm. She and Nicholas Galitzine share sweet chemistry, but it’s really Billy Porter who steals the show and he doesn’t disappoint. He’s vivacious, vibrant and his charisma sparkles as brightly as his sequined ensemble.
Overall, Cannon’s take on Cinderella is sure to be a favorite among viewers, and even though the world may not have needed another Cinderella movie, the songs and the cast make this film easy to enjoy.
Cinderella is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video
What did you think of the film? Let me know in the comments.
