"By All Means, Move At A Glacial Pace. You Know How It Thrills Me." --- Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep)

Rating: 10/10 (4 March 2007)

"The Devil Wears Prada" (2006)
Directed By: David Frankel
Starring: Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, Stanley Tucci, Simon Baker, Adrian Grenier, & Tracie Thoms
MPAA Rating: "PG-13" (for some sensuality)
"The Devil Wears Prada" was one of my most anticipated movies of 2006. I loved the cast and the trailer, which took a different approach to marketing (by showing one of the earlier scenes in the movie, instead of a series of edited scenes cut together). When it opened alongside "Superman Returns", however, I had to make a choiceand I, ultimately, chose to see "Superman Returns" simply because, I felt that it was a film that would be much better on the big-screen and wanted to witness it as such. I enjoyed that movie and I am glad that I chose to see it in theatersbut I still had to see "The Devil Wears Prada". When it came out on DVD, I rushed out and bought it (blind buys are not my usual thing, but I just had to do it for this film). As I waited for the movie to begin, a thought crossed my mind. What if "The Devil Wears Prada" wasn't as good as I thought it was? What if it was a disappointment? Sure, critics liked it and Meryl Streep was practically guaranteed an Oscar nominationbut, suddenly, I was a little worried. But, did it live up to my original expectations or were my fears realized?
Andy Sachs (Hathaway) is a young journalism major who moved to New York City in hopes of finding a job at a major publication. When things down go as planned, Andy is forced to apply for a job at "Runway", a fashion magazine. The job is far from the journalist position she so desperately wanted, but it is something. It's a position as an assistant for legendary fashion editor, Miranda Priestly (Streep). Andy, having never heard of her before, does not know that she is possibly the devil incarnate in high heels and with a Prada purse. Andy, despite not being the typical fashion lover, gets the jobbut she realizes that it is possibly one of the hardest jobs imaginable. But, with the help of Nigel (Tucci), the magazine's art director, Andy will reinvent her life and prove that she is tough enough to handle Miranda and all of her crazy demands. But, what she will learn is that, sometimes, it just isn't worth it.
When "The Devil Wears Prada" ended, I wanted to watch it again. When I am compiling my "Top Ten" list at the end of every year, one of the things I look at is how I reacted when the movie ended. It is necessary that I must have had an instant desire to watch the movie again right after it was over. I thoroughly enjoyed "The Devil Wears Prada" and thought it was one of the best comedies of the year, sporting great performances and a poignant message that is not over-baked. Meryl Streep is one of my favorite actresses ever and this is one of her best performances. It's a bitter, yet subdued performance. She could have gone over-the-top and could have griped and complained the entire movie (which would have cheapened the performance), but she did not. She used great amounts of restraint and it worked beautifully. Anne Hathaway, one of the best young actresses, gives yet another nice performance, handling herself very well. I enjoyed it. The true breakout star of "The Devil Wears Prada" is Emily Blunt who aced the role, giving a cold performance with a twist of sarcasm. It was great.
On the slight downside, I thought there were a few moments that made us question Andy's integrity. I won't go into the details, but I found the moments to be slightly unnecessary. Not only were they ultimately a pointless subplot, but they detached us from our lead character. However, every other aspect comes together wonderfully. The music, the direction, the performances, and, of course, the fashion are all blended together in perfect proportions. It is a hilarious movie that works so well due mainly to its cast and its director who gives a certain element of style and class to the whole film. "The Devil Wears Prada" is a great comedy that never fails to entertain.
Final Thought: Funny and well-made, "The Devil Wears Prada" proves that comedies don't have to be cheesy and recycled.
Overall Rating: 10/10 (A+)