Having it both ways

Rating: Null/10 (15 February 2007)

Oh, what a seductive little cheat this movie was. From the title, one obviously expects a little Faustian morality tale about the seductive lure of the superficial (but gorgeous!), and at one level, that's what you get. Unfortunately, like movies whose ostensible point is to condemn violence by tossing in titillating heaps of it, The Devil Wears Prada whorishly revels in the world it satirizes. It hits many girls where they live (beautiful clothes, cool make-overs, etc.)and at the same time asks them to please reject it all.
Let's consider our heroine. We can't have her REALLY go over to the dark side,even a little, can we? She'll discover how good she can look with a new haircut and nifty Chanel thigh-highs (and, oh, she does look good). She'll get to go to Paris, too (hey, we'd looooove to see Fashion Week there)-- and not by just selfishly accepting the offer at the expense of her colleague. Heck no. Said colleague will get hit by a car. SHE's in no shape for Paris, so why shouldn't Andy go? She also gets to have some kissing-under-the-lamppost,postcardy ooh-la-la with Simon Baker and still not cheat on her doting boyfriend (they were conveniently "on a break," so no-harm, no-foul sort of deal). Clothes, Paris, extracurricular sex, and . . . how does it all end? Right back where it started. Our heroine gets the high ground and gets to enjoy the low ground, too.
And our "devil" of the title? Bitch or Mistress of the Universe? She has it both ways as well. We're meant to deplore and laugh at her high-handed ridiculousness, yet admire her for just doing what it takes to be a success in a man's world.
So ultimately how are we supposed to feel about Andy's excursion into the fashion world? Superior, I suppose. And a little used.