Meryl Streep Once Again Proves She Act Any Role!

Rating: 8/10 (17 July 2006)

THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA may put off many moviegoers because it sounds like a silly bit of fluff best seen when released on DVD. But this is a fine little movie that, despite its rather predictable and silly storyline, gives a number of fine actors the opportunity to sharpen their skills in playing roles not usually associated with their repertoire. Especially in the case of the brilliant Meryl Streep, who here proves she can be a convincing evil witch and yet hold our attention for her rare vulnerable moments. This is a piece of powerful characterization.
The story is both well known because of Lauren Weisberger's Top 10 on the charts novel and because the story of a plain Jane making it big in the corporate world at the risk of jeopardizing her ideals and private life. But the story works again, this time draped in the fashion magazine industry.
Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway) is a reporter without a job, a girl simple and physically unsophisticated with a chef boyfriend Nate (Adrian Grenier) and extended family, who is placed for interview with Runway Magazine as the personal assistant to the editor Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep). And is dowdy but smart, and Miranda decides to take her one despite her other assistant Emily (Emily Blunt) and jeering crowd's amazement. Miranda is a Diva who is a control freak, spits out demands as she tosses her wrap and purse on the assistant's desk, communicates only is stingingly acidic one liners, and is in general a fearsome Titanic of a woman. The story revolves around Andy's transformation by magazine worker Nigel (Stanley Tucci) et al and within weeks Andy is Miranda's right hand person, responsible to her whims 24/7. This obligation and change wrecks havoc with Andy's personal life, leads to a Paris fashion trip, an encounter with Christian Thompson (Simon Baker),a hunky writer with high credentials when sets out to woo Andy, and eventually Andy must make some choices about the speedy treadmill on which she finds herself.
Yes, it is a bit of Working Girl, Cinderella, etc but it works on screen due largely to the fine performances by the entire cast - but especially for the stunning tour de force by Streep. Clothed in an endless array of fashionable outfits, Streep is the epitome of the fashion guru: she hasn't looked this beautiful in a long time and this film reminds us that she is a very attractive as well as inordinately gifted actress. This role is so well played that it may even be listed in the Oscar category. Now who would have ever expected that from the rather silly idea of The Devil Wears Prada? Strong work! Grady Harp