Luke
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CibbuanoThe Devil Wears Prada
March 7th 2007 09:40
'The Devil Wears Prada' is the recent big screen adaptation of the hit book of the same name. It was singled out for praise by a few critics recently, and got a few nominations at the Golden Globes and Oscars (including a Best Actress nod for Oscar-holic Merryl Streep).
Andy (Anne Hathaway) is a young writer fresh out of college looking to break into journalism. Somehow, she manages to get an interview for the much-coveted position of Assistant to Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep), the editor of high-flying fashion magazine 'Runway'. Upon arrival it becomes clear that she is not at all suitable for the job... Andy knows nothing about fashion and is completely uninterested in much of what the magazine has to say, but Miranda hires her on a whim - the last few girls who had the position were completely unable to cope with the pressure, so maybe Andy (being the odd one out) will be a lucky choice. What ensues is a deep-end introduction to the world of Miranda Priestly, frosty queen of the fashion world and one hell of a demon-boss to work for.
Short of being based on a novel, it's hard to see what has elevated this above films like, say, 'Suddenly 30', in the eyes of the critics. It's perhaps more likely that it's 'acclaim' (if you could call it that) is more an indication of shifing attitudes from film critics as opposed to a direct indication fo the film's quality. I don't mean to rag on the film at all, it's a decent movie and all that - I just don't see what the fuss is all about. Also, while I'm griping, Andy is meant to be the every-girl, someone who hasn't a clue about high-fashion and is sneered at by models - on a few occasions she is referred to as 'fat' by the other characters. Now, I know this last bit is meant to be an ironic reflection of the bulimic world of models and superstars, but I couldn't really see any difference between Hathaway and the bone-thin models the film was criticising! Shouldn't they have cast someone a bit less skinny in this role? I haven't read the book so I can't really comment on what the author intended her heroine to look like, but it just seemed a bit at odds with the script's atitude.
On the plus side, Streep gives a stripped back, minimalist performane as Miranda - a performance so cold and emotionally stingey that you can't help but want to see her pleased as much her assistants in the film do. In this respect, 'The Devil Wears Prada' is similar to 'Meet the Parents', in the way that it uses a legendary screen icon to personify and inspire intimidation. Perhaps the most impressive thing about Streep here (or perhaps, more precisely, her character, Miranda) is that her 'arc' in the film (if you could call it that) doesn't follow the standard cliches of the genre.
This is an okay film, it's not boring or anything, just not really my cup of tea. It's funny sometimes, but I'd say it's firmly more drama than comedy. Streep's good in it, but for me the film didn't really come alive until the last few scenes where Andy finally gets close enough to Miranda for Hathaway and Streep to share some decent scenes together.
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