A nice surprise

Rating: 6/10 (17 October 2006)

In 2003 a small book named "The Devil Wears Prada" by the then unknown author Lauren Weisberger, came out of nowhere and surprisingly reached the top of the New York Times bestseller list becoming the proof that this new genre fiction named "chick lit" was here to stay. However, more than its literary style, what made Weisberger's novel suddenly popular was the rumor that this fictional tale of an insanely capricious boss was based on the real life experience of its author while working in Vogue magazine under the rule of the editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour. Wheter Weisberger really based her book in Wintour is still open to debate (Weisberger denies it), but the book's huge popularity soon ensured a film adaptation, and the legendary actress Meryl Streep was the once chose to play the Devil dressed in Prada.
The film is about young Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway), who fresh from college, gets a job as personal assistant of Runway magazine editor, the legendary Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep), famed for being a powerful influential figure in the fashion industry with little to no regard to those under her command. Andy, a complete foreigner to this environment, will have to put up with her eccentric boss and her insane capricious demands. To make things worse, as Andy begins to discover the industry she'll have to make choices, as her past life begins to feel incompatible with her new career.
While the screenplay (by Aline Brosh McKenna) remains relatively close to the source novel, it's fair to point out that it has several (probably necessary) departures from the book's plot, making it a simplified version of the story. Still, the movie keeps the overall themes of the tyrannical boss and the choices of life, as well as the charm and freshness of Weisberger's book. However, due to this simplification of the plot, it becomes a bit predictable as it has a lot in common with many other similar films ("Swimming with Sharks", 1994, for example) about a young newcomer being bullied by a mean boss.
"The Devil Wears Prada" is director David Frankel's first theatrical feature film, however, it's by no means his first important job, as Frankel perfected his craft directing several episodes of the famous TV series, "Sex and the City" (also inspired by a "chick lit" source). In many ways, "The Devil Wears Prada" retains the feeling of Frankel's previous work and it's probably the obvious next step in his career. While it may not be the most original film ever, it has quite good features, such as a very good edition (by Mark Livolsi) and a well-selected soundtrack.
Many words have been written about Meryl Streep's excellent performance, so I'll just say that she was perfect for the role, as she gives a deeper, more complex personality to a character that essentially exist to be mean. While Streep's performance is essentially what makes the film to stand out from other similar movies, credit must also go to Anne Hathaway and Emily Blunt, who play Miranda's two main assistants. Hathaway as our main character, Andy, delivers a quiet, subtle performance that allows her character to be likable, specially as her actions begin to show the slow but constant effect that Miranda has in her. Emily Blunt is the film's best surprise, showing a great future and a big talent for comedy. Finally, Stanley Tucci has a minor role, but shows off his scene-stealing abilities and makes gold of every moment he appears on screen. The rest of the cast is quite effective, but nothing really as special as the four main characters.
Personally, I think that the film's worst problem is the many similarities it shares with other films, as it gives the feeling that the story lacks originality. However, "The Devil Wears Prada" makes up for this flaw with its light-hearted tone and its big charm, as it's a film that doesn't take itself too seriously (as other similar films do). Also, Frankel's past directing a TV series becomes too notorious at times, making the film look like an extended chapter of a TV series; however, this is not really as annoying as it sounds, and it's probably due to the act that this is Frankel's first feature film.
"The Devil Wears Prada" is quite a good film for a nice evening, it's charming, funny, and most importantly: entertaining. It's always a joy to watch a very talented actress at work, but it's also a joy to discover three new talents (Hathaway, Blunt and director David Frankel) having a chance and making a good job. It may not be a life-changing experience, but this devil is a nice surprise. 6/10