Reviews of the Past: The Devil Wears Prada is a Mixed Bag (That Prada Didn't Make)
From December 23, 2007:
Since my very good friend is in town, brought some of her movie collection, and decided to show me Waiting for Guffman, she passed off a few movies of hers that she also felt I should see, to which I agreed because they are all on my Netflix queue somewhere or another. She allowed me to borrow six, and the first one I watched was the Devil Wears Prada. She told me she loved this movie, and that she has watched it a gazillion times because Meryl Streep is awesome, and it's a feel-good movie. I agree, to a point. I also disagree, to a point.
This is a film based on a book, which I did not read and would, in fact, probably never have read, nor will I pick it up now, because it's about the fashion world, a world I care little about (though I do love clothes, but my personal style is extremely schizophrenic). I became interested in this movie when it was released because Meryl Streep did receive some Oscar buzz last awards season (when does she not receive Oscar buzz?) and because several people that I knew who watched this movie loved it, not the least of which included my very good friend.
Andrea "Andy" Sachs (Anne Hathaway), fresh out of college, in her quest to be a magazine writer, applies for a job at the fictitious Runway magazine, which is headed up by Miranda Priestly (Streep). Runway happens to be one of only a couple of magazines in New York City, allegedly, with job openings for young writers, which is apparently why Andy, who has no interest in fashion, applies. Miranda is a fashionista and a diva who rules her magazine with an iron fist, and Andy becomes her second assistant, trying to survive the capricious whims and long hours under Miranda. She must also survive first assistant Emily (Emily Blunt), an ambitious employee looking to stay in the business and survive herself. Andy, despite the tests of her sanity, patience, and the sanctity of her personal life with boyfriend Nate, sticks out the job because, apparently, surviving Miranda for one year will open doors to other magazines because of her power, presence, and influence. The trouble is, Andy's battle is uphill, and it may be more uphill than it is worth.
To me, this movie was uneven, disconnected, and in some ways, it did not make sense. My format for this particular review will be unusual, as I am going to outline three good things and three bad things I saw in the Devil Wears Prada.
Good
1. The message of believing in oneself and in one's personal choices and in knowing when to make the right choice for oneself is undeniable, but that may be more a credit to the author of the novel than to any of the filmmakers.
2. Meryl Streep is wickedly delicious as Miranda. She reminds me of Cruella De Ville, but she never takes Miranda to a place that's over the top or beyond the limits of suspension of disbelief, like Glenn Close did in the live action 101 Dalmatians. As only Meryl Streep can do, she manages to make Miranda more emotionally complex and interesting than what might simply be relegated to the antagonist of the story and to a superficial fashion magazine editor to boot.
3. The supporting players in this film were the best part. In addition to Streep, the more compelling performances of this movie belonged to Stanley Tucci and Emily Blunt. Blunt was fantastic as the driven and catty Emily, fashion's answer to the Grinch with a heart to melt and grow. The most interesting character in the whole film, in my humble opinion however, was Tucci's Nigel. His character was the most fleshed out: he played the token gay man in this fashion-related environment with deference and heart, never making him cartoonishly flamboyant (because not all gay men are). His begrudging but touching act of taking Andy under his wing while treating her fashion maladjustments made him someone to root for, though he never compromised his debutantish snarkyness. He should have been nominated for a best supporting player award; his was arguably the best character and performance in the whole movie.
The other best supporting player award goes to the astounding mass of designer clothing solicited from real-life designers for the costumes and accessories in this movie. Oh, how I wanted to be Andy when Nigel took her in for a fashion makeover. Her outfits were so cute! Not that I could have gotten away with a free wardrobe overhaul at a designer's closet in the offices of a fashion magazine...I admit that I'm nothing like a size 4 (or 6 for that matter).
Bad
1. Anne Hathaway played Andy with grace, natural beauty, and charm, but she also played her with an extremely confusing set of motivations. This may not be entirely her fault (see number 2). She also seemed restrained, which may be the director's fault, but she has a decent capacity for physical comedy, seen in the Princess Diaries movies, which could have been used to a point in this movie to liven up her character. I found Andy to be devoid of any real emotion at first, at least until everything started falling apart around her. Of course, again, that may not be Hathaway's fault as much as the directors and the writers...speaking of which...
2. The writing did not even make a ton of sense, and I don't know if it's the original author's story or the screenwriters lousy adaptation to blame. Why does Andy want to be a writer and not go to Stanford law school (she passed up Stanford?? What???)? Why does she choose to stick it out at Runway instead of Auto World if she has no interest in fashion, especially since she doesn't find out until much later that working for Miranda will open up doors for her? Why in hell, if she is so ambitious and truly aspiring to be a magazine writer, would she turn down a chance to meet the editor of the New York Mirror with the hunky author-dude when she was already late for Nate's birthday party and would already have had to contend with his disappointment? Especially since she was ambitious enough to call this guy in the first place to track down an advance copy of a Harry Potter manuscript? Andy's character is a mess. Truthfully, not everyone knows what they want to do all the time, and her moments of confusion are true to life, but if she has enough conviction to tell her dad that she wants to turn down Stanford to be a writer, and if she's willing to do whatever it takes in some situations, why would she then falter at this very crucial point? Which brings me to number 3...
3. ...This film (and maybe the book too) has a very mixed message about girl power. It really kind of presents the choice of be a b***h and get ahead and majorly successful, or be nice and settle for what you can get. Andy also makes lots of compromises for Nate and is made to feel guilty when she starts to change, by not only Nate but her best friend. I'm not sure what message the film is trying to convey here. I feel like this film is reinforcing lots of double standards and stereotypes and is kind of inherently sexist, which is ironic, because it was written by a woman. I also don't like this "accept it for what it is" attitude, which is the climactic lesson taught to Andy by Miranda. Granted, the choices Andy is presented are somewhat faustian in nature (the sacrifices are for the Prada-wearing devil after all), but the whole plot just leaves me feeling empty in the end. Of course, the entire fashion world celebrates superficiality, so perhaps delving any deeper or striving for truly empowering messages on what women can do outside of traditional stereotypes and even societal and cultural realities is beyond the scope of this story.
In any event, I did feel entertained. I liked this movie to a point. Andy did make the right choices in the end and felt good about it, and to that end, I felt good too. Yet, this film is too much like a fake Prada bag one buys in the street to make it look like they are wearing Prada when really they are wearing a knockoff. It only looks like it's quality, but it's not the real thing, so the quality just isn't there. To that end, I rate this movie a 6.5. It's a little shakier than shaky plotwise, but it is more entertaining than merely "cute." I did feel good, laughed, and even shed a small tear in the final scene. The soundtrack was also good.
I don't think this movie passes the test, though. I might watch it again on cable, but I don't find it worth owning. There is a much better story out there about girl power and believing in oneself and one's choices and values and staying true to one's own morals and ethics that even takes place in the fashion world. There is Prada and Jimmy Chu and Dolce and Gabana and Louis Vuitton all over it. I recommend Ugly Betty, the TV show. It's funnier and snarkier and has a heroine that more people can relate to and root for who is not so all over the place as Andy. This movie's worth the rental, but Ugly Betty is worth its weight in feel goodness and empowering message.