Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Meryl Streep | ... | Miranda Priestly | |
Anne Hathaway | ... | Andy Sachs | |
Emily Blunt | ... | Emily | |
Stanley Tucci | ... | Nigel | |
Simon Baker | ... | Christian Thompson | |
Adrian Grenier | ... | Nate | |
Tracie Thoms | ... | Lily | |
Rich Sommer | ... | Doug | |
Daniel Sunjata | ... | James Holt | |
David Marshall Grant | ... | Richard Sachs | |
James Naughton | ... | Stephen | |
Tibor Feldman | ... | Irv Ravitz | |
Rebecca Mader | ... | Jocelyn | |
Jimena Hoyos | ... | Lucia | |
Gisele Bündchen | ... | Serena |
In New York, the simple and naive just-graduated in journalism Andrea Sachs is hired to work as the second assistant of the powerful and sophisticated Miranda Priestly, the ruthless and merciless executive of the Runway fashion magazine. Andrea dreams to become a journalist and faces the opportunity as a temporary professional challenge. The first assistant Emily advises Andrea about the behavior and preferences of their cruel boss, and the stylist Nigel helps Andrea to dress more adequately for the environment. Andrea changes her attitude and behavior, affecting her private life and the relationship with her boyfriend Nate, her family and friends. In the end, Andrea learns that life is made of choices. Written by Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
With dialog that absolutely crackles, "The Devil Wears Prada" is bound to please most audiences but will primarily appeal to the MTV generation, I suspect. When all is said and done, it's your typical fish-out-of-water, bright-lights-big-city fable, just dressed up all purdy.
Or, put another way, it's essentially "The Princess Diaries" with much, much, muuuuuuuuuch better dialog and a slightly more sophisticated and dramatic story arc.
So while older audiences may feel the film is a bit formulaic, the hysterical, but occasional cruel, one-liners and zingers hurled at Anne Hathaway's Andy are sure to keep them entertained. Stanley Tucci and Emily Blunt get most of the barbs, and Blunt in particular is fantastic in the film.
Tucci and Meryl Streep, however, get to make the most provocative and stirring speeches in the film, and they deliver. Hathaway capably carried the movie, perhaps overacting, but she makes it work. Streep proves again that she's a gifted comedian. Emily Blunt, as Emily, is pitch perfect, and her performance here gives beautiful irony to her given name.
The film is just too long, however, primarily because the director feels obliged to explain everything -- every plot point is rendered obviously and painfully clear, and nothing left open for interpretation. That said, we're spared the "perfect ending" and left with a heroine who can truly stand on her own two feet, and in any shoes she might desire.