Devil Wears Prada, The Review

"Devil Wears Prada, The" reviews

Movie

Devil Wears Prada, The

Author

anonymous

Date reviewed

2006-12-11 23:57:17

Rating

2.5/5

Provider

CinemaSource

Review

If The Devil Wears Prada didn't have the silently menacing Meryl Streep as its title character, the film would be sporting nubs and carrying a broom instead of full-blown horns and a pitch fork.

Story

In other words, Prada--based on the bestselling novel by Lauren Weisberger--unfortunately plays upon the sitcom-y boss-from-hell scenario, in which the young flunky manages to one up her superior in some valiant way. There are no surprises, save for the fact that its set in the world of high fashion, invoking all the fabulousness that entails, and incorporates the amazing Streep as Miranda Priestly, editor-in-chief of THE fashion magazine, Runway. Oozing contempt and demanding perfection, Miranda at first terrorizes her new assistant, Andy (Anne Hathaway), an impressionable lass who wants to be a serious journalist and has no desire to be a "Clacker." But that lasts for all of about 10 seconds. Andy is soon wearing those Jimmy Choo stilettos and clacking across the floor with the best of them--and the better she gets at her job, the more her personal life falls apart. Naturally, Andy wises up and realizes life isn't about Dolce, Gabbana and the rest of the gang. Still, maybe she could keep one Prada handbag. You know, just to remember the experience.

Acting

Streep is having a nice little resurgence this year with two spectacular performances. In Robert Altman's A Prairie Home Companion, she plays the sunny yet heartbroken half of a singing sister act--and in Prada, she's Satan incarnate. Quite a switch but in the ever-so-capable hands of the Oscar winner, it's a flawless transition. The best part of Streep's Miranda is all the things she doesn't say. It's the searing looks, the languid move of the hand--and the hushed tones. This isn't Kevin Spacey's screaming lunatic producer in Swimming with Sharks; this is about the threatening quiet and the sacrifices Miranda makes to be lonely at the top. Hathaway, as a lovely Audrey Hepburn look-a-like, manages to keep her head above water but still hasn't quite gotten rid of her Princess Diaries gee whizzed-ness. But there's potential. In supporting roles, Stanley Tucci makes a memorable appearance as Miranda's right-hand man at the magazine, doling out snarky but sage advice to our heroine, while Adrian Grenier (HBO's Entourage) plays nice as Andy's patient boyfriend.

Direction

The only other real standout star of Prada is the clothes. And the shoes. Oh, and the handbags, hats, belts, scarves and other accessories. Director David Frankel--a HBO flunky himself, having directed several episodes of Entourage, Sex and the City and even HBO's hit mini-series Band of Brothers--captures this high-powered world of trend and style succinctly, giving all fashionista wannabes everywhere a brief but meaningful inside peek. But the real kudos go out to costume designer Patricia Field (an Emmy winner for her work on Sex and the City), who must have had a lot of fun with Prada. She magically produces designs from Valentino (who also makes a small cameo), Donna Karan, Bill Blass, Galliano and, of course, Prada. It must be like a painter being given permission to recreate a Picasso or a Monet. Prada is predictable, it's true--but with Streep's streaked white Cruella De Vil and all the great fashion, it's worth its weight in Versace.

Bottom Line

Hollywood.com rated this film 2 1/2 stars.

Movie

The Devil Wears Prada

Author

anonymous

Date reviewed

2006-10-05 00:00:00

Provider

MyMovies

Review

Who's the worst boss you've ever worked for? Well take your worst experience with them and then quadruple it - then you can come close to everyday life under fashionista Miranda Priestly. Anne Hathaway stars as Andy, a wannabe journalist who ends up working for the ruthless fashion magazine editor Miranda (Meryl Streep), a woman so imposing that she makes "Wall Street's" Gordon Gecko look like a pussycat. Among her more unreasonable demands is tasking Andy to get her a copy of Harry Potter 7 for her children - months before it's due to be released. What follows is an examination of Andy and Miranda's relationship - is Andy able to handle the pressure? Could a heart actually beat beneath Miranda's steel breast?

It's all too easy to mistake "The Devil Wears Prada" as simply a satire on the fashion industry. It is that - but it's also a rather sweet tale about a naive young woman finding her place in the world. However Andy's blossoming comes at the expense of those around her - including her boyfriend, friends and colleague Emily (Emily Blunt) - and her own morals.

Anne is sweet enough as Andy as she makes her journey from small town girl to seasoned and unflappable assistant, but it's Streep who steals the show with her Cruella de Vil take on Miranda. Soft-spoken and always deliberate, Miranda's verbal barbs can seriously injure from 100 yards - and Streep delivers them with venom, wit and a perfect aim. But more dedicated fans may be a touch disappointed to hear that a few liberties have been taken with Lauren Weisberger's book during the transfer to the big screen.

Sharper than a pair of expensive stilettos, "The Devil Wears Prada" should stay in fashion for a good few seasons to come.

Movie

The Devil Wears Prada

Author

anonymous

Date reviewed

2006-09-26 15:00:21

Provider

MRIB

Review

The big screen has never really got a grip on fashion, as evidenced by Pret A Porter, Robert Altman's cack-handed 1994 film. The Devil Wears Prada, though, is in a different league: Vogue to its predecessors' Closer or Chat, thanks largely to the fact that it stars Meryl Streep and is based on a best-selling book by Lauren Weisberger, who worked on a glossy mag.

Weisberger, whose boss was Vogue's famously frosty Anna Wintour (nicknamed Nuclear), has denied that Streep's character, Miranda Priestly, is based on her former editor. Either way, the film feels fantastically authentic, from the cut-throat cruelty to the appalling lack of manners. In this world, being nice signifies weakness.

Hence when Andy (Anne Hathaway) turns up for an interview at Runway magazine she is met with a barrage of snide comments by the boss's first assistant, Emily (Emily Blunt). The real trouble starts, though, when word gets out that Miranda is in the building, prompting pandemonium in the office as hair is attended to and flat shoes are swapped, hastily, for six-inch heels. Inevitably, Andy is seduced by her environment, despite Priestly being an horrific boss. Gradually she trades up her boyfriends along with her clothes, implying that her morals have been warped by the industry.

Simplistic as that sounds - people change, after all - The Devil Wears Prada sidesteps the obvious fashion cliches, by and large, revealing the seductive nature of frivolity while showing what an empty life fashionistas lead outside of their ego-stroking office environment.

Devil Wears Prada, The Review