By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3.5 cats
Director: David Frankel
Starring: Adrien Grenier | Anne Hathaway | Emily Blunt | Meryl Streep | Simon Baker | Stanley Tucci | Tracie Thoms
Country: united_states
Year: 2006
Running time: 109
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0458352/
Bruce says: “THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA is an ugly duckling comedy set in the vacuous milieu of the New York and Paris fashion industries. What makes fashion a great comedic subject is the exaggerated importance and sense of purpose the fashionistas bestow on themselves. In a role modeled after Anna Wintour who since 1988 has been editor-in-chief of Vogue, Mery Streep plays Miranda Preistly, editor of Runway. She is fearless, ruthless, exacting, demanding and dismissive. When Miranda whispers the words, ‘that’s all’ her minions scurry away. It is the dulcet tones Streep uses that make Miranda so terrifying and foreboding.
“The ugly duckling is Andy (Anne Hathaway), an aspiring writer who by fluke lands the coveted position of Miranda’s second assistant after Emily (Emily Blunt) is promoted to first assistant. When Andy arrives at Runway she is disheveled, clueless and an absolutely inexcusable size six. Miranda Priestly is horrified and venomous. Andy defends her lack of fashion sense ardently.
“Within weeks Nigel (Stanley Tucci), the token gay male fashion coordinator, turns Andy into the proverbial swan. Emily is beside herself with self doubt and envy. Andy’s boyfriend (Adrien Grenier) is having his own doubts about where their relationship is going. It is easy to see where the plot is going even with a slight romantic twist involving a free lance writer named Christian Thompson (Simon Baker).
“What makes THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA engaging is the acting of Streep, Tucci, and Blount. Stanley Tucci (BIG NIGHT) never misses a beat, a relief after he failed dismally as an assistant to Ralph Fiennes in MAID IN MANHATTAN. Emily Blunt, so very good in MY SUMMER OF LOVE, plays an entirely different role here and is equally adept. Simon Baker is a sexy sleazeball, a far cry from his wounded soul persona in the television series, ‘The Guardian.’ But it is Streep who steals the show by underplaying her role. The weak link is Anne Hathaway (THE PRINCESS DIARIES, BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN) who gives three quarters of a performance, lapsing into Julia Roberts act-alike mode from time to time. It’s not pretty.
“New York and Paris are made to look postcard perfect. They are absolutely gorgeous. 3.5 cats”