DVD Review: The Devil Wears Prada Tuesday, January 9, 2007 - The Devil Wears Prada, starring Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway (The Princess Diaries) is a comedy about an aspiring journalist named Andy (played by Hathaway) with small-town values who takes on an assistant position to a big-city, Vogue-like magazine editor (played by Streep). While the film has its moments, none are really laugh-out-loud funny. Streep brings her usual powerful and expert acting abilities to the film and Hathaway is sweet enough, but the story line hovers between enjoyable and merely tolerable. If you respect the fashion industry, then you may very well find the film enjoyable. The story, based on the novel drawn from real-life experiences of author Lauren Weisberger, is about Andy’s efforts to land a job in journalism when she finds herself getting a job at Runway Magazine, which is ran by Miranda Priestly (Streep). Miranda is portrayed as a high-maintenance, demanding woman lacking the warmth of even an ice cube. Andy believes the job will open doors if she can only stick it out for a year. Though several points to the film are unbelievable, such as how Andy dresses for an interview at a magazine she’s never heard of, we’re meant to gain an understanding of just how down-to-earth, non-materialistic, and grassroots Andy is. This lends credibility to her dilemma that she is compromising her values to work at Runway. Essentially, the film is about a young lady exploring who she really is and what she really wants to be. Co-star Stanley Tucci plays Nigel, a very loyal Priestly employee and delivers an enjoyable role as he attempts to help Hathaway’s Andy overcome her long list of serious fashion faux pas.
In the end, after we follow Andy’s personal struggles with career advancements, wardrobe changes, and personal relationship issues, we find she quits her job in favor of remaining true to her self. For those who enjoy Streep in any role and value a well-dressed person, you might enjoy this Hollywood version of a glimpse into the rat race of the fashion and publishing industry. However, if you’re looking for inspiration or motivation rather than just ho-hum entertainment, you can pass. Because while Streep plays the devil and she may wear Prada, the entertainment quality is about as designer as Hanes - and the comfort isn’t near that. Yuddy Rating: A Dud -JB
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