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inkmidya
Forum Admin
615 Posts |
 Posted - 08/25/2006 : 01:01:27
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Reviews:
Author: CanadianWunderkind from Canada
For the past month or so, I have been eagerly awaiting this movie. I love Meryl Streep, I like Anne Hathaway, I though the world of magazine publishing could make a great setting for a movie, and I thought the premise of the book 'The Devil Wears Prada' had a lot of movie potential. So, now that I've seen it, I have to say it is one of the funniest movies I've seen this year. The screenwriter has maintained everything that was funny about the book, as well as chucked a lot of the duller subplots, and has formulated a movie that is a great deal more enjoyable than the book.
I'm sure you're all familiar with the basic premise - naive small-town girl comes to the big city hoping to be a journalist, and gets a job as assistant to Miranda Priestly, the much-feared editor of 'Runway' magazine (a thinly veiled take on 'Vogue' magazine, and its editor). Thankfully, the cast was almost perfect (though I did think Simon Baker was somewhat miscast at the rakish writer who takes a liking to the protagonist, Andrea), and elevated the movie to a level it would not have otherwise reached.
Meryl Streep is absolutely amazing as Miranda Priestly, and I especially liked the way that, as Miranda, she never raised her voice above normal speaking level. Streep has said she based this mannerism on Clint Eastwood, who as Dirty Harry talks very quietly but still intimidates. This made Miranda much more interesting than the stereotypical, screaming gorgon she could have become. She is certainly the best thing about this movie, and I think the odds are good that she'll score a best-actress nod at the next Oscars. Miranda is also made more complex (and slightly more sympathetic) than in the book, which I thought was very good. In the book, which I recently read, the author (who actually worked as an assistant to 'Vogue' editor Anna Wintour) was very bitter and whiny about the difficulties of her former job, and she made Miranda out to be a totally two-dimensional villain with absolutely no redeeming qualities. However, the movie shows us (briefly) a different side of Miranda - we see the compromises she has had to make to get to the top, and we see the toll this has taken on her personal life. We aren't made to agree with her diva-like behaviour, but we can understand how hard her life must be.
I also thought that Anne Hathaway was very appealing in her role - she made Andrea more likable and less snobbish than she was in the book (although the screenwriter deserves credit for that, as well), and she looked great in the couture she wore through most of the movie.
The supporting players were also very good, especially Emily Blunt (as Andrea's caustic fellow assistant, Emily) and Stanley Tucci (as Miranda's loyal but beleaguered right-hand man, Nigel). On many occasions, they stole scenes from the ostensibly 'central' character of Andrea.
The movie, while maintaining the book's premise, does not follow the book too closely, which I liked. The entire 'Lily' subplot from the book is eliminated (readers of the book will know what I mean), and Andrea's parents and boyfriend are less significant in the movie than in the book. I agreed with these changes, though - I found those aspects of the book to be quite boring, and their omission made for a more streamlined movie.
I strongly recommend this movie to virtually anyone, and I just hope "The Nanny Diaries" (another somewhat-similar 'chick lit' movie adaptation, coming out soon with Scarlett Johannson, that I am eagerly awaiting) lives up to the shining example of this excellent movie.
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Author: santanose from Tampa, Florida
Without Meryl Streep, The Devil Wears Prada would get maybe a 5 rating, but because of Ms. Streep giving a performance that will undoubtedly get her a 14th Oscar nomination it is reason alone to see it. Is it even possible for her to do something that is even remotely similar to anyone of her past characters? The answer is NO! Her Miranda Priestley is once again a completely new role that seems made for her and she is so deliciously devilish that you want her in every scene, but we'll settle for a supporting actress nomination come February in a movie that would have essentially been Pricess Diaries 3 without her. A very enjoyable summer fluff movie that is a great escape thanks, once again to the brilliant Meryl Streep.
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Plot Summary
**Spoilers**
Meryl Streep tears up the landscape as demanding fashion editor, Miranda Priestley, of "Runway" magazine. She is a terror to everyone who is around her as is quickly depicted in the opening scenes of the movie. Her first assistant (Emily Blunt) strives to please her and tries to emulate her, but one can sense that she is not quite as hard as she tries to put on. Into this mix comes a young woman (Anne Hathaway) who knows nothing of the fashion industry, has never read the magazine, and doesn't know who Miranda Priestley is. She only sees this as a stepping stone to another journalism position. Showing no fashion sense and immediately scorned by everyone, Miranda nonetheless hires her as the second assistant. When Miranda demands that she obtain the next unpublished Harry Potter manuscript, you can sense that she is trying to force her to quit, but it makes the young woman dig in to please her boss. With the help of one of the magazine's fashion editors (Stanley Tucci), she gets a complete makeover and a new security. However, with her new appearance and the demands placed on her, she starts to lose her friends, family and her live-in boy friend (Adrian Grenier). As she is whisked away to Paris with Miranda and faces all of the glamor that could be hers, including a flashy if not artificial freelance journalist (Simon Baker), she is forced to make the decision of where she wants to be in her life. It is obvious that the film would like to make Anne Hathaway into a young Audrey Hepburn. While she is certainly pleasant, she doesn't quite reach the pinnacle of Hepburn. The film contains adult situations, but no nudity or on-screen sex.
Cast overview
Meryl Streep .... Miranda Priestly
Anne Hathaway .... Andy Sachs
Emily Blunt .... Emily
Stanley Tucci .... Nigel
Adrian Grenier .... Nate
Tracie Thoms .... Lilly
Rich Sommer .... Doug
Simon Baker .... Christian Thompson
Daniel Sunjata .... James Holt
Jimena Hoyos .... Lucia
Rebecca Mader .... Jocelyn
Tibor Feldman .... Irv Ravitz
Stephanie Szostak .... Jacqueline Follet
David Marshall Grant .... Richard Barnes
James Naughton .... Stephen
Rated PG-13
Runtime: 109 min
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rui_aiya
Frequent Poster
Philippines
207 Posts |
Posted - 08/25/2006 : 03:53:56
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princess diaries 3, eh...
to be honest, that's what i thought so too about the movie.. ermm, i stil havent watched it though.. but i think having meryl streep as the devil who wears prada.. its like saying johnny depp is jack sparrow... |
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keith
Frequent Poster
Philippines
208 Posts |
Posted - 09/02/2006 : 02:11:34
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i thought the movie will focus more with meryl streep and it didnt. im kind of dissapointed. its like saying Anne is beautiful. Hey, we already know that! no need to make another princess diaries 3!
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iKenn
Moderator
Philippines
136 Posts |
Posted - 09/11/2006 : 10:17:13
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| Nice movie. its a conflict between work or friends. To be successful or to be happy. |
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lexie
Frequent Poster
USA
156 Posts |
Posted - 09/13/2006 : 03:41:10
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| i love meryl streep! i love this movie! |
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The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
