THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA 2 is a Great and Satisfying Way to Finish the Story.
Bonnie DeShong
Photo by Macall Polay/Macall Polay –
Twenty years ago, I sat in a theater, and even though I didn’t have a clue what a Prada is versus a Dior, I related to and loved The Devil Wears Prada. The cast, humor, pretty clothes, and Miranda’s one-liners made it a great film for me. To be honest, I was a little hesitant to get excited about a sequel. They usually never work, especially with it being 20 years since the first. I am happy to say that even though I still don’t have a clue what a Prada is versus a Dior, I enjoyed The Devil Wears Prada 2 in a new and different way.
Directed by David Frankel and written by Aline Brosh McKenna, all of the characters and actors we love are back: Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly, Anne Hathaway as Andrea “Andy” Sachs, Emily Blunt as Emily Charlton, and Stanley Tucci as Nigel Kipling.
In the 20 years since we last saw Andy, she has become a well-respected journalist. Sadly, as she is receiving a very prestigious Press Club award for her work, she and the entire journalist team have been fired by text. Across town, Miranda and the magazine are in the midst of a scandal after doing a profile of a sweatshop fashion brand. Irv Ravitz (Tibor Feldman), who owns Runway, is livid that advertisers are pulling out and demands that Miranda fix it or else. He insists that Miranda hire Andy as the feature editor of Runway, and off we go.
One of the things I enjoyed was how they addressed the world of journalism and how print has gone the way of rotary phones. Runway magazine is now online. Viewers, likes, and followers are more important than sales. Miranda is now hanging up her own coat, and her number one, Amari Mari (played wonderfully by Simone Ashley), has to continuously remind her of the words and phrases that are not politically correct. Miranda is at a point where people are watching and waiting for her to get on an iceberg and float out to sea—in other words, retire and let the youth take over. With that, she still sees and knows all.
I also thought it was great that Andy is still that caring and loyal person who admires Miranda, but is still herself, even though her fashion sense has not improved. Nigel is my warm fuzzy with a dash of coolness. He has been in his role at Runway, keeping his head down and not allowing himself to hope for heading the company. No matter what, he will stay by Miranda’s side as long as she needs him. Emily is back, but not at Runway. She is now the head of advertising for DIOR, but is it really what she wants to do? Does she have another plan up her sleeve?
Of course, the fashions are amazing, and there are so many celebrity cameos that sometimes I was a little distracted looking for them.
Is The Devil Wears Prada 2 as good as the first one? I would say no, in the way that the first was just that, the first. However, this one is a good and seamless continuation. It is current, funny, and touching in so many ways, especially to those who may have or are aging out of jobs that they have spent years building and making a success while watching the world change and trying to keep up.
Do we need to worry about Miranda, Nigel, Andy, and Emily? No, THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA 2 is a great and satisfying way to finish the story.
I give it 4 out of 5 winks of the EYE.
Until next time, keep your EYE to the sky!