Devil Wears Prada

A drastic improvement on Lauren Weisbergeræs bestselling novel, THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA showcases Meryl Streep's knack for combining humor and sadness. While likely inspired by notorious VOGUE editor Anna Wintour, Streep's Miranda Priestly (head of Runway magazine) is entirely her own creation. Sporting silvery hair, a vast collection of fur coats, an encyclopedic knowledge of all things fashionable, and a killer smile, Miranda is full of wicked charm. With her mature beauty and commanding presence, Miranda is as fascinating to watch as she is intimidating to the constant rotation of assistants thrown her way.

When bookish Northwestern grad Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway) interviews to become Miranda's newest lackey, Miranda hires her not for her lackluster wardrobe but for her intellect. Inside the pristine Runway offices, Andy suffers through a never-ending list of impossible tasks, and is the subject of constant harassment by Miranda's jealous first assistant (Emily Blunt). But to the dismay of her boyfriend (Adrian Grenier) and close friends, Andy slowly finds herself seduced by the glamorous world of fashion, and by Miranda herself. While Andy's transformation comes largely in the form of new designer clothing, the makeover is mental as well. What starts out as a firm belief in fashion's vapidity and in Miranda's heartlessness gradually fades into the suspicion that the boss from hell might just be hiding a soul. While the book villainized its title character, the film gives new depths to her wrath. As Andy trades her undergrad wardrobe for one packed with Prada and Chanel (with help from Stanley Tucci in a brilliant role), viewers are able to savor the work of costume designer Patricia Field. Together with director David Frankel (who also worked on SEX AND THE CITY), Field creates a world of fashion so wonderfully extreme it would be hard for anyone to resist.

3 stars out of 5 -- "[A] sinfully funny, deliciously glossy [film]....[Streep's] performance is a comic and dramatic tour de force." - Rolling Stone

"[W]e haven't seen our Meryl like this until now, relishing the role as if it were the swellest Best of Everything achievement award a 13-time Oscar nominee could receive." -- Grade: B - Entertainment Weekly

"[Ms. Streep's] perfectionism has rarely seemed so apt....[Ms. Blunt's performance] is a minor tour de force of smiling hostility." - New York Times

3 stars out of 5 -- "[I]mpressively free of black-and-white characterizations." - Box Office

3 stars out of 5 -- "[T]he real pleasure...is watching Meryl Streep brilliantly colour her glamorous gorgon with shadings of vulnerability..." - Total Film

"[A] voyeuristic treat....Streep's performance is as supple as a kid glove, evoking both the loneliness and erotic charge of ultimate power..." - Sight and Sound

3 stars out of 4 -- "[A]n appealing comedy....A series of engaging moments filled with beautifully dressed and extremely talented people." - Premiere

3 stars out of 5 -- "This is a rare example of when an adaptation is superior to the novel..." - Ultimate DVD

"The devil gets her due in a movie that's leagues better than its source material....With the glorious Meryl Streep giving a nuanced performance in the title role." - Wall Street Journal

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