Streep and some laughs with numerous one dimensional characters

Rating: 6/10 (6 August 2006)

See it for Meryl Streep, who is delicious in every scene where she appears. In my opinion, she has only been better as Ethel Rosenberg in Angels in America. Also Stanley Tucci does well, though his character is one dimensional. The Hathaway character and her development from frump to fashion conscious career woman, back to journalist with a conscience is unbelievable. First, though her outfits are awful at first, it is hard to believe that she is as fat and unattractive as she is made out to be. She's just a pretty girl in a bad sweater. Second, Meryl Streep's character is the one I came to like much more than Hathaway's character, the supposed hero, who abandons her boss in her hour of need. It was only her first job after college, not a career. The better course of action would have been to stick it out until the end of a year, then find another job. Plus, Simon Baker seemed so much more attractive in every way than the boyfriend she went back to, whose only redeeming quality seemed to be that he made a good grilled cheese. I wonder if the book was as mediocre as the movie.