Detestable

Rating: 3/10 (26 January 2007)

Sorry, but the last 5 minutes of this movie do not make up for the previous 1:45 glorifying the shallow and meaningless world of high fashion. In the first 10 minutes of the movie, we're cheering for Anne Hathaway's character to quit the job and maintain her self-respect (which was very healthy when the story begins). After denying her better judgement numerous times (why, I don't know), we lose any interest in her and cheer only for her boyfriend, one of the few characters with integrity and redeeming qualities throughout. I love Anne Hathaway and also don't have a big problem with silly movies (e.g. Ella Enchanted); I just had huge problems with how seriously we were supposed to take this phony fashion mag world.
The turning point for Anne's character seemed to be after this pathetic speech by Stanley Tucci's character, in which he seemed to argue that high fashion is necessary in the world, if only to give hope to closeted young gay men (or did I miss a deeper point he was really trying to make?). If Anne's character was supposed to be such a great journalist, she would not have been swayed by this bit of silliness. In fact, her whole background should have precluded her from ever having any interest in the things these people found important (i.e. she finished law school and wanted to become a journalist?).
I'm also a fan of Meryl Streep, but I cannot imagine how this performance (or role) is worthy of an Oscar nomination. It's a one-note character, which gains no sympathy from the viewer since she has no positive qualities. Even her one emotional moment was a joke to me and totally unbelievable for the character. Are we to think she actually cares if her husband leaves her, what the press will write, or how her spoiled kids will take it? I wasn't buying any of it. This seemed only a continuation of her 101 (102?) Dalmations role; clownish and not believable.
By the time we get to the end (and Anne's realization of what's important in life), we cease to care for her character, and in fact half-hoped her boyfriend would dump her (although it was never going to happen in such a soppy story). Too bad; he deserved better.