The Devil Wears Prada **** (2006, Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, Stanley Tucci, Simon Baker, Adrian Grenier) – Classic Movie Review 2873

Anne Hathaway stars in director David Frankel’s 2006 romantic comedy drama as the smart but not smartly dressed new graduate Andy Sachs, who turns up scruffy, conceited and unprepared and unexpectedly lands a job she initially doesn’t really care about as an assistant to Miranda Priestly.

Hathaway is capable and appealing but it’s Meryl Streep who triumphs in a peach of role as Andy’s way over-demanding, bossy boss, the editor-in-chief of the Runway high fashion magazine she impresses enough to swing working for as her second-in-command PA. The woman is hell on heels. Going to it with relish, Streep just devours the role. It’s a great part, but Streep is great in it.

The film has two other stars – Emily Blunt as Streep’s present top PA, a capable but harassed young English woman called Emily, and Stanley Tucci as Streep’s gay designer and work confidant Nigel. All four performances are perfect in a beautifully written and crafted comedy. These are classic performances in a classic movie that comes up fresh and funny every time you watch it.

There are no other roles of any significance, giving the devilishly handsome Simon Baker and Adrian Grenier a lot of difficulty to make any impression except visual as rivals for Andy’s affections. Grenier’s role is a bit wet and Baker’s unpleasantly wolfish. It is interesting that, though she’s the supposedly all-sympathetic American heroine, Andy comes over as a self-obsessed, ambitious, career-obsessed type that eats up men for breakfast.

Blunt, Tucci and Grenier emerge as the three truly sympathetic characters, and even Streep is allowed off the hook at the end – shame that though! She’s supposed to be the Devil, remember! So it’s a considerable tribute to Hathaway that she makes Andy so appealing.

Streep was deservedly nominated for one of her regular Oscars, but didn’t win when she deserved to, and Patricia Field’s Costume Design nomination deserved to be turned into a win too. But, no! Aline Brosh McKenna, who writes the adept screenplay adapting Lauren Weisberger’s novel, might have deserved an Oscar nomination too. But, no!

© Derek Winnert 2015 Classic Movie Review 2873

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