The Devil Wears Prada Widescreen Edition

Posted In: Devil

Major Ellsworth says...

It's easy to dismiss this flick as fluff.But men who would ordinarily sniff their noses should see this film as a primer to the psyche of women.I went to see this film last summer when it was in the theatres with my fiancee(now wife).What caused her to sit at the edge of her seat was not the story or the superb acting but the proliferation of high-end brand names (Gucci, etc.) and the parade of "Style" channel celebrities(Valentino? Who?).It made me feel cheap for giving her a Coach handbag for her birthday.What elevates this film is the excellent performances by the ensemble cast.Meryl Streep as a high fashion Cruella De Ville gives a nuanced performance that is the stuff of legend.Emily Blunt (should be Oscar nominated) follows close behind as Streep's snooty assistant.The underrated Stanley Tucci as a magazine staffer gives a performance bereft of stereotype.Anne Hathaway, probably inspired by the talent around her, holds her own with this talented cast.To summarize, this flick is froth with substance.

Posted on October 17, 2010

Sherill Adi says...

My wife and I, huge fans of `America's Next Top Model' and `Project Runway', were very excited about seeing this film.Why it took us this long still baffles me, but as of Friday night we had the pleasure of seeing `The Devil Wears Prada' and let me just say that it was quite the pleasure.Now, most if not all the praise has been heaped on the shoulders of Meryl Streep, and while she was outstanding, this film is more than just a Meryl painted canvas.There are four brilliant performances in this film and they all are deserving of praise.



First is Anne Hathaway who plays Andrea Sachs, a young aspiring journalist who takes a job working as Miranda Priestly assistant at `Runway Magazine'.Anne Hathaway proves with her performance that she's all grown up.No, that's not to take away from her more adult roles in more adult films like `Havoc' and the masterpiece `Brokeback Mountain', but here Anne proves that she can do adult comedy, not falling back into her teen goofiness that made her famous in `The Princess Diaries' but keeping everything smart and mature.She has enough poise and grace to match wits with Miranda, and she does so elegantly.



Next up is Emily Blunt who plays Emily, Miranda's first assistant (there are two, Andrea being the second).Emily has worked her butt off to get to where she is, slaving for the unruly Priestly and it's all about to pay off with a trip alongside Miranda to Paris.The only thing standing in her way is Andrea, for if Andrea fails miserably then it reflects poorly on Emily.Emily Blunt turns out I think the best performance of the bunch for she has enough sass, enough attitude and enough wit to make her pop out from the screen and stand out no matter who is sharing the screen with her.



Stanley Tucci also does wonderfully here as Nigel, Miranda's second in command.He is there to make sure everything is perfect, and also help Andrea adjust.Stanley always has done great backup work, playing second hand man to just about everyone, but here he really makes his performance his own and owns it.He delivers some of the funniest lines in the film but he never feels like the `token gay guy'...he's needed in this film, not filler, and he commands his scenes and really stands out amidst the crowd.



And then, of course, we have Meryl Streep who plays the ruthless tyrant known as Miranda Priestly.What I was most impressed about was the way Meryl underplays every word, every emotion, every scene, which is not what I expected.I really expected her to go all Glen Close and reincarnate Cruella but she didn't (thankfully) and instead turned out one of the most inspired performances of the year.She must have had fun playing the snooty self absorbed and above all selfish editor-in-chief of `Runway'.She lets us see inside her character briefly (when crying over another failed marriage) but her character is more about shutting off feeling in order to succeed and so we don't get to see the real Miranda because we're not supposed to.



Carried by these four brilliant performances `The Devil Wears Prada' is a fabulous film that will make you laugh and make you smile and will impress almost anyone.The script is brilliantly adapted from Lauren Weisberger's novel, and while it's not an exact replica (are any adaptations these days?) it carries the same wit but smoothes things out to make it more approachable and, in my eyes, more enjoyable.Bravo!

Posted on October 18, 2010

Lorette Kitzrow says...

I read the book and loved it. Because I live in the Midwest, this isn't exactly a world that I'm exposed to, and it's a blast joining this fashion frenzied crowd for a few hundred pages. The same can be said of the movie. It's fun while it lasts. And what makes it so much fun is, duh, Meryl Streep. No one can stop talking about how excellent she is in this, even Anne Hathaway admits that Meryl steals the show. And she does. She's a sharp-tongued, fashionista, editor bitch, whose claws are permanently out and scratching at the eyes of her assitants and, well, anyone else around her that doesn't do exactly what she wants exactly the way she says.



Hathaway plays Andrea, a bright-eyed college grad, who wants nothing more than to be a writer in NYC. How grand! She can't seem to get a writing job, but manages to snatch the job "a million girls would kill for"-- being the assitant to the demanding Miranda Priestly (Streep), editor of the hot and hip magazine called Runway. Andrea doesn't fit into this world of couture and makeup, a world where the new size 4 is a size 2, and size 6 (Andrea's size) is the new 14. Ouch. But Andrea is determined to stick it out, going so far as to alienate her boyfriend Nate (Adrien Grenier), her friends, her family, and herself, all so she can get her dream job-- because as everyone knows, one year serving Miranda means that she can hook you up with a job. ANYWHERE YOU WANT.



Anne Hathaway is, as always, a likable personality. What little we see of Grenier is pleasing, if for the simple fact that he's so adorably messy and cute. Meryl Streep and Stanley Tucci (as the cliche gay guy who helps the clueless girl, though Tucci OWNS this role) are the show stealers. And I can't not mention Simon Baker. Just because he's hot. Oh, and his character does manage to be effective in the few minutes they give him on screen. Great soundtrack, cute story, biting wit-- what more can a girl ask for?? Hm... maybe the new Marc Jacobs bag??

Posted on October 19, 2010

Jacqueline Farnham says...

This brilliant film starring Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway is just incredibly funny. The "terrible" Miranda Priestly (Streep) and the docile Andy Sachs (Hathaway) make for an odd couple. But as it turns out the winners and losers in life are not necessarily what the rest of the world deems them to be. There is a lot to be said for love, family and quality of life. At the heart of this hilarious movie is a serious message... it is far too easy to ignore our hearts and dance to the drummer's beat instead... but it takes much more courage to take the path less traveled because it also happens to be less glamorous.

Posted on October 20, 2010

Eugene Biro says...

Meryl Streep is absolutely hilarious playing Miranda Priestly, the editor of the world famous fashion magazine "Runway". Along comes Andrea (Andi) Sachs for a job interview. She recently graduated from Northwestern University as a journalism major. Emily, the first assistant to Miranda, nearly snickers in Andrea's face as she looks her up and down and makes snobbish critical remarks about her unfashionable ordinairy clothes. Everyone in the office is calm, casual, and laid back until they learn Miranda Priestly is returning to the office when they go into "high alert".



The grand entrance by Miranda is superb, her haughty but elegant manner is perfect, with one breath and in one single sentence she rattles off six or seven commands to her assisant. Everyone jumps to attention and gets into action ... Andrea's interview is nearly cut short when Miranda notes she lacks the fashion background Miranda is looking for. However Miranda is won over by Andi's sincere work ethic and despite misgivings hires her. As second assistant, Andi manages to pull off miracle after miracle to make things happen for Miranda. It is when she does the impossible: obtains a publisher's copy of the latest Harry Potter book for Miranda's twin daughters that Andi's star at Runway begins to rise but at a huge cost to her personal life. Through a series of most auspicious but unexpected events, it is Andi who goes to the spring Paris fashion show with Miranda and a very select group of Runway staff. In Paris Andi comes to terms with her own values and resolves some personal struggles about her job and what she wants from life ...



The film is a parody about the serious competition which exists in the fashion and magazine publishing industries. The tensions, dramas, and back-stabbing are clearly evident. Dealing with the stresses and strains associated with trying to separate one's personal and professional life is very difficult. It becomes clear, the price of success means favoring work over family and friends . As Miranda Priestly said to Andi after returning from the spring Paris fashion show and as she stepped out from the limo amidst photographers and reporters: "They all want to be us" ... This film is most highly recommended - a sparkling gem of a film. Erika Borsos (pepper flower)

Posted on October 20, 2010

Shara Catone says...

I viewed Devil Wears Prada at a sneak preview this evening courtesy of ebay.Enjoyed it immensely.Meryl Streep played the devil Miranda to perfection -- very real, believable. Anne Hathaway is great - in another ugly duckling to swan role.If you like fashion, you'll enjoy watching this movie.Two thumbs up!

Posted on October 21, 2010

Myles Milosch says...

While this film highlights how a college student makes the leap from school to professional life, I also believe that it highlights Meryl Streep's enormous talent although she is not the lead character.She gives such a commanding performance as the dominant impossible boss.In fact there are several outstanding supporting characters such as Stanley Tucci.He is priceless as the guy you love to hate.A really good script, plus great actors equal a great movie!

Posted on October 21, 2010

Zachariah Pointer says...

To begin with, this film is billed as a "wicked" comedy but I found no laughs in it. Maybe two or three mild chuckles. All the telegraphed moments that were intended to be comedy were glaringly unoriginal. Virtually every demeaning thing Meryl Streep's character does to Anne Hathaway's has been done in at least two dozen movies in the past 25 years. Only the specifics have been updated. This one simply has the world's greatest actress doing them.



Hathaway was cast because she's not only talented but also gorgeous and not emaciated. She is instantly likeable. Adrian Grenier is bland window-dressing as Hathaway's love interest. Chronic upstager Stanley Tucci is an actor I often can't appreciate but his under-the-top, small doses here keep him from being a liability. Streep is ... Streep! Her deft touch and perfect subtlety keep her absurd character in the realm of possibility. My biggest complaint is that her character's unsubtle hair is distractingly reminiscent of Glenn Close's Cruella Deville in Disney's "101 Dalmatians."



The entertaining and engaging parts primarily involve life lessons from the moral ambiguity that rears it head for Hathaway's character. However its lessons are contradictory and all over the map. Much of it is trite and all of it could have been done in a decent LifeTime movie but Streep and Hathaway bring it a level difficult to find on TV. And Hathaway's Andy ends up in a pretty questionable "happy ending" that belies her independence.



The film tries it hand at subtle apologetics for the high fashion industry. Even though I didn't buy it, a few of them were food for thought. And it's neat to hear Streep wrap attitude around the word "cerulean."

Posted on October 25, 2010

Catharine Daughters says...

This could easily be dismissed as another "little-fish-in-a-big-pond" story, but the wonderful script and fine acting by all sets it high above the rest. Meryl Streep was terrific, though she was allowed to show a soft side a few times, which took away from the "bite" that may have been implied by the title. (I had a boss like that, but mine was meaner and showed less sensitivity). Streep is not the main character, however, and Anne Hathaway shows command in the central role. There's excellent support from Adrian Grenier, Stanley Tucci and Emily Blunt. The shots of New York City (and of Paris) are grand and impressive, and, as one would expect, the costume designs are stunning, though few are original for this film. David Frankel's direction kept things moving at a swift pace, and the DVD extras are entertaining and informative. I enjoyed "The Devil Wears Prada" very much.

Posted on October 28, 2010

Cecil Juarez says...

Yes, we have seen the storyline before.So What??Almost every movie Hollywood has been making in the last 20 years are "new" versions of old storylines.But this is an enjoyable film, and I think the director did a great job."The road to hell is paved with good intentions."Isn't it easy to fall into the trap?Andy, of good intentions, does what every job seeker does: to please the boss.And yet the road to success is never easy, and one minute you think you know yourself and your choices, yet somehow, without any meaning to, you find yourself on a completely different path than the one you started out with.



Some of you have bosses that are easy to please.I have met and worked with bosses like Miranda Priestly, and it's true, there are people like that in the world.Meryl Streep did a fantastic job of conveying such a tyrannical boss.



And Anne Hatheway is beautiful.Audrey Hepburn will never be replaced. But among the stars of today, Anne Hathaway is MILES ABOVE stars like J. Lo, Britney Spears, and all those stars who think they are stars, but are nothing but crap.



Anne Hathaway is a much better role model than Britney Spears or J. Lo, Anne is definitely elegant, refined, and a lady.And we need more actresses who portray good manners, good breeding and good education.



Just because the way the ending is not a bang, doesn't mean it's a bad movie.Every time when we make a right decision, there won't be fireworks going off, or large celebrations to tell us we are right, and I think a lot of people are confused about that.They think that's what the movies should always provide.



In real life, assistants cannot afford to dress like Anne did in the movies.But we are in a movie.So just enjoy it for what it is.A great movie that reminds us: choose the real important things in life vs. choose the frivolous things in life like fame, fashion and glamour, which fades in an instant.

Posted on October 29, 2010