Appealing to women, but not a chick flick

Rating: 8/10 (22 February 2009)

Although any film with the word "Prada" in the title might seem like a chick flick red flag for men and people that don't enjoy romantic comedies, "The Devil Wears Prada" is a surprisingly un-cliché film that is really quite far from a romantic comedy--it's simply a fashion-focused spin on the classic "what happens when you sacrifice your personal life for your career" theme.
The film, based on the popular novel, stars Anne Hathaway as Andy, an aspiring journalist who looking for a foot in the door in the Big Apple takes a job as an assistant to Miranda Priestly (played by Meryl Streep, who really steals the film), editor-in-chief of Runway magazine and queen of the fashion industry. Andy, however, doesn't care much for fashion, and Miranda is notorious for being unreasonably demanding, cold and cynical. Regardless, Andy sticks with the job and begins to stray from her goals, affecting her career and personal life with boyfriend Nate (Adrian Grenier of "Entourage").
Streep is simply the highlight of the film, something she's been known to do. She's so convincingly detestable that the script needs no mention of "the devil"--the book/film title makes sense just watching and listening to her. At the same time, Streep also portrays the person inside the stone-cold machine, complicating her character and making the viewer truly think about his or her opinion.
At the same time, Hathaway is deserving of recognition that she can be a bankable marquee star. She's way beyond "Princess Diaries" now. Her struggle to fit in, try her hardest, make things with her boyfriend work and decide on her future is so easy to identify with every step of the way. We're never left unsure of what her character is thinking or feeling and that's a tremendous accomplishment. Other noteworthy performances include Stanley Tucci, who also works for Miranda, as the effeminate mentor Andy turns to when she needs help fitting in with the fashion scene, and Emily Blunt as Miranda's other assistant who is a nervous wreck.
Directing the film is David Frankel, whose experience directing a handful of "Sex and the City" episodes certainly comes in handy. He makes sure all the critical fashion elements of the film are shown off, including some effective montages that show a variety of outfits to appeal to the female audience. Although I haven't read the book, Aline Brosh McKenna delivers a very witty script that steers clear from all things cheesy. Some of the lines that Streep and Tucci have will make you think about fashion in a totally new way.
So what makes the film male-friendly? It has to do with the fact that Andy's struggle is incredibly universal. The struggle between trying to advance your career and holding on to what you care about most is something that anyone can understand. Also, everyone in working world knows that feeling of complete powerlessness that Miranda forces upon Andy. Streep is so easy to hate because she has some oppressive qualities that we all relate to in our lives. Lastly, guys don't have to fear their being too much romantic drama between Andy and Nate. Their relationship exists for the sake of affecting Andy and contributing to the film's themes. They barely feel like a couple on the screen. The other romantic relationship between Andy and a major journalist figure played by Simon Baker doesn't get too sappy either.