Movie · 2015 · Romance, Fantasy, Family, Drama · 1h 45m · PG · English
Curator score: 4.3/10 (659.3K ratings)
Midnight is just the beginning.
Overview
When her father unexpectedly passes away, young Ella finds herself at the mercy of her cruel stepmother and her daughters. Never one to give up hope, Ella's fortunes begin to change after meeting a dashing stranger in the woods.
Ratings
Curator score: 4.3/10
IMDb: 6.9/10
Letterboxd: 3.30/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 84%
Metacritic: 67
TMDB: 6.8/10
Director
Kenneth Branagh
Production
Walt Disney Pictures, Genre Films, Beagle Pug Films, Allison Shearmur Productions
Cast
Lily James, Cate Blanchett, Richard Madden, Stellan Skarsgård, Holliday Grainger, Sophie McShera, Derek Jacobi, Helena Bonham Carter, Nonso Anozie, Ben Chaplin, Hayley Atwell, Richard McCabe, Rob Brydon, Jana Pérez, Alex Macqueen, Tom Edden, Gareth Mason, Paul Hunter, Eloise Webb, Joshua McGuire
Where to watch
Disney Plus
Curator Review
Verdict
A lavish, sincerely romantic live-action fairy tale with strong production design, elegant costumes, and a warm emotional core. It leans into classic storybook sincerity rather than irony, which makes it especially appealing if you want comfort viewing with real visual polish.
Best for
fans of sumptuous period fantasy
viewers who like earnest fairy-tale romance
audiences drawn to costume and production design
family-friendly comfort watches
people who enjoy Kenneth Branagh’s grand, classical style
Skip if
you want a subversive or darker fairy-tale take
you dislike heightened sincerity or sentimentality
you prefer modernized princess stories with a more ironic edge
you are looking for action-heavy fantasy
Overview
This version of Cinderella works because it commits fully to the fairy tale. Kenneth Branagh stages the story with old-fashioned confidence, letting the romance, the cruelty, and the magic all feel large and vivid without turning cynical about any of it. The result is a film that knows exactly what it is: a glossy, emotionally direct story about kindness surviving hardship.
Worth noting
The production design is the main attraction. Costumes, sets, and color design do a lot of the storytelling, and the transformation scenes land because they are treated with genuine wonder. Lily James gives Ella a calm, resilient sweetness, while Cate Blanchett brings a sharp, stylish menace to the stepmother.
Bottom line
It is not especially surprising, and some viewers will find its sincerity a little too polished. But if you want a fairy tale that feels romantic, comforting, and visually rich, this is one of the better modern studio remakes.
Top Letterboxd reviews
Georgia Coley (4★) · 3829 likes
The only great live-action remake - and the only one that's better than the original.
𝖏𝖊𝖉 (3★) · 2421 likes
i'm not having children because i know i'll never love them more than whoever decided to put that pretty boy in white leggings
Francisco Aram (3.5★) · 2274 likes
the costumes were so beautiful! but honestly i could not stop staring at richard madden's crotch
ty (5★) · 1840 likes
The way Richards eyes match the blue dress please it’s just so perfect
dani✨ (3.5★) · 1819 likes
- ah there u are your high-
- ITS KIT!! KIT! KIT i'm kit i'm on my way