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Films on the to-do list

  • Armageddon Time
  • Black Widow
  • Chimes at Midnight
  • The Killing of a Sacred Deer
  • Last Christmas
  • Remember Sunday
  • Shazam! 2
  • Thor: Love and Thunder
  • Spy Guys

The Devil Wears Prada (2006)

Film review: The Devil Wears Prada (2006), directed by David Frankel

Regular girl Andrea “Andy” Sachs (Anne Hathaway) wants to work at a big New York newspaper and be a Proper Journalist. She spends her evenings poking fun at fashion slaves with her boyfriend Nate (Adrian Grenier) and friends (Tracie Thoms and Rich Sommer).

She ends up getting hired by Runway magazine – the sort of magazine for people she makes fun of. This is a totally alien environment for Andy, who finds it very difficult to blend in. Her colleague Emily (Emily Blunt) looks down on her, Nigel (Stanley Tucci) in the art department is kind but dismissive, and the boss, Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep), is not just the queen of the fashion world, but an extremely demanding boss.

Still, Andy hangs in there, even if she’s just a measly personal assistant. At least she just needs to hold out for a year, because everyone keeps saying that if you last a year at Runway, all newspaper and magazine doors in the city will be open. Just one year. Can Andy keep it together that long? And can her relationship survive her being hit on by the handsome freelance writer Christian Thompson (Simon Baker)?

Andy is a character I can relate to … pre make-over. I’ve never been a fashion victim. Growing up, my mum was of the opinion that if we were to walk around like billboards, sporting a brand name, they should bloody well pay us for the advertising space. (I love my mum.) So basically, I can really relate to Andie when she first goes for that job interview. Slipping down to the Dark Side, less so.

I mean, what’s there getting so excited over about shoes and handbags? As long as my handbag fits my Kindle, a notebook, purse, mobile phone and keys … that’s all I need. Shoes? Helps if they’re comfortable. (Sketchers Shape-Ups are the most comfortable shoes ever. I don’t think they actually work from a weight-loss perspective, but by golly, finally I can walk without the balls of my feet hurting! ♥)

If anything, The Devil Wears Prada makes me happy I’m not in the newspaper industry and that my sense of fashion goes as far as geeky t-shirts and whatever I like the look of at Asda that’s good value. Anyway, way too stressful a job, and I wanted to tell Miranda where she could stick it.

Film-wise, it’s a harmless drama comedy with a bit of romance involved. Baker plays a handsome man that I think most of us wouldn’t mind being chatted up by – at least not in such a charming way. Although, when they meet up at night somewhere, he totally talks her into having sex with him against her will. Creeeeepy. What sort of a message does that send to people? “Just keep pushing, she’ll change her mind eventually”? “If a charming, handsome man hits on me, I better give into his wanting to get into my knickers eventually”? Good grief, it’s a dreadful example for everyone!

Also, what a cute boyfriend she has. He could try to communicate better with her, but still. Ohh, Tucci was fab. I really liked his character, and in some parts, I could even sympathise with Emily.

As films go, I quite enjoyed it. It made a few points, one of them being “don’t forget who you are” and another, “no job is worth selling your soul for”. Which is nice. Wouldn’t mind seeing it again, but not for a few years. It might be enjoyable, but it’s not the most amazing thing since caramel macchiatos.

3.7 out of 5 designer handbags.

Traxy

An easily distracted and over-excited introvert who never learns to go to bed at a reasonable time. Enjoys traveling (when there's not a plague on), and taking photos of European architecture. Cares for cats, good coffee and Boardwalk Empire. A child of her time, she did media studies in school and still can't decide what she wants to be when she grows up.

6 thoughts on “The Devil Wears Prada (2006)

  1. I loved this film, not least because it also makes the point: “don’t look down your nose at something you know little to nothing about.” I am no fashion maven, but the scene where her boss schools her on the significance of the color she’s wearing is classic. You might try “November Issue,” a well-reviewed documentary on Anna Wintour, the figure whom the boss in this film is loosely modeled on.

  2. i think that fashion is relevant to the beholder; it is always nice when someone pays you a compliment but i think it is more important to feel good about your own choices.
    (chances are if it’s not fashionable now, it may be later)

  3. Hey Traxy, this is not related to this movie, which I did enjoy – but I’m surprised not to see the movie, “Onegin” on your list of movies reviewed!!

    After all, it did star Toby Stephens (also a pre-LOTR Liv Tyler)! It was directed by Martha Fiennes, starred her brother Ralph, and had music composed by another brother Magnus.

    I hope you get a chance to check it out (I think it may also be on youtube).

  4. Yeah, I’ve heard about that one, but not come across it … yet! Still have a few other TS things around which I have yet to watch and review. 🙂

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