The Devil Wears Prada (2006) movie review

The Devil Wears Prada came out in 2006 which in turn is based on a New York best-selling novel about a young college graduate’s experience working as a personal assistant for the editor-in-chief of a high fashion magazine. As someone not into fashion, I enjoyed the movie immensely back when I saw it the first time when it was released and I must say that almost 20 years later, it still holds up. It holds up because it has genuine laughs, an entertaining script and unforgettable performances.

The montage at the start of the movie with the KT Tunstall song ‘Suddenly I See’ playing, illustrates how New York is the fashion capital of the world. We see how Andrea ‘Andy’ Sachs (Anne Hathaway) is not a part of that world but is soon going to enter it unaware of the changes it will bring in her life. Andy aspires to be a real journalist someday and sees the opportunity to work at Runway as the stepping stone to achieving her goals.

Emily (Emily Blunt) who is the human embodiment of the phrase ‘Hurt people, hurt people’ has little hope for Andy managing to impress her boss enough to land the job given how misplaced she is. Blunt turns a forgettable part into a star-making role by rolling her eyes every time Andy falters, watching her suffer with amusement.

Working for Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep) is described as prestigious but gruelling as we see a whole building full of people run like headless chickens when notified of her arrival. However, nothing prepares us for the cold-hearted, mean-spirited bastard of a person Streep portrays. One may squirm in their seat every time Streep appears as Miranda. As chilly as the Ice Age, she speaks softly like Nurse Ratched from One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest but cuts through people’s souls if she finds them stupid or incompetent. 

Andy gets the job despite her atrocious interview but she lacks the expertise and willingness to do it well. She has a tough time at the office but Andy doesn’t give up easily. What we didn’t know back then about Hathaway but we know now is that she is extremely talented. As the lead, we are seeing the story unfold from her perspective and are with her all the way. The movie doesn’t end in 30 minutes because Andy doesn’t give up easily. Given Andy’s intelligence and drive, we see her getting better at her job. With some support from the art director Nigel (Stanley Tucci), she starts dressing better too. Tucci plays the nicest person in that organisation and even he is not that nice. He is seriously funny though.

Soon, Andy is seduced by the shiny, pretty things and how they make her feel. The extra time she has to put into her work also has an impact on her relationship with Nate (Adrian Grenier). Simon Baker, as Christian Thompson, takes a shine to her as well. Or maybe he just wants to get into her pants but the fact that he’s terribly handsome doesn’t help.

The movie is tight, it’s vibrant and it has lessons abound for people who are just starting off their careers or are dealing with a mean boss. Since the characters work for a fashion magazine, it looks expensive and shiny. The script is good enough too, to appeal to and entertain all demographics. 

I didn’t like how the theme music for Miranda is a rip-off of Snatch’s original track along with the ending being a touch melodramatic. But, the movie features one of the greatest acting performances by an actor with infinite range and talent. Streep is absolutely divine in the movie and her transformation is on par with the best we’ve ever seen in film.