The Devil Wears Prada not only concerns

A vain fashionista and those whom she spurns;

It’s also about how worldly demands

Can distract from the fact that our fate’s in our hands.

 

Andrea Sachs needs a job in Manhattan,

Which she finds with the Meryl Streep version of Patton,

Miranda Priestly; what more can one say

Of the editor-in-chief of the Vogue-like Runway?

Poor Andy must cope at the chic magazine

As the new co-assistant of Streep the ice queen.

She’s at first overwhelmed; there’s no training or such.

All the calls and demands are quite simply too much.

Emily Charlton, her fellow assistant,

Does not assist her, but Andy’s persistent.

At last when she’s sick of the insults and hurt,

Of being continually treated like dirt,

She chooses to join them, the fashion-crazed crowd,

And after some months, her wardrobe’s well-endowed.

She makes some mistakes, but corrects them with style,

And soon is experienced and versatile.

But as her star rises (and Emily’s falls),

She puts off her beau for Miranda’s phone calls.

She flirts with a writer, an arrogant fop,

And finds she’s depressed even though she’s on top.

 

Miranda decides to bring Andy along

To Paris for fashion week, but something’s wrong.

She doesn’t want Emily; Andy’s preferred.

Sachs can either be fired or pass on the word.

She chooses to go, but, while there, finds out

That Miranda will soon be replaced, no doubt.

She fails telling her, but then sees to her shock

That Miranda knew well in advance of such talk

And will stay there in power, but part of her plan

Involved crushing the dreams of her own right-hand man.

That’s when Andy sees that she’s on the wrong side

And casts her coveted position aside.

And when she goes elsewhere for her vocation,

She finds from Miranda a recommendation.

Miranda may not quite agree with her choice,

But still she respects Andy using her voice.

So Emily returns to Miranda’s good graces,

And Andy is free to choose where her own place is.

_____

Review:

Let me just preface this review by saying that I know literally nothing about fashion. Most of the clothes and names in this movie meant nothing to me, and, if the people involved with them are anything like the characters, I want it to stay that way. The Devil Wears Prada is a comedy with some drama and romance mixed in for good measure, and it is mainly on the list for its valuable moral lesson.

Concerning its artistic merit, it’s certainly a clean, well-made film which is surprisingly down-to-earth, despite the imperiousness of most of the characters. Some of the best scenes are the musical montages, particularly the opening with “Suddenly I See” (one of those songs that just won’t get out of my head), and an incredibly fluid scene involving multiple wardrobe changes with Andy walking to work (over several days).

The characters are the main sticking point with The Devil Wears Prada. As the title suggests, Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep) is cruel, vain, manipulative, and derogatory to nearly everyone she meets. Emily Charlton (Emily Blunt) and Nigel (Stanley Tucci) aren’t much better, with their constant jabs and insults of Andrea’s clothes and clothing size. The main high point is Anne Hathaway as Andy, who remains relatable throughout, even while alienating her boyfriend. With the patience of Job, she is a model of persistence in difficult circumstances, but, when she realizes how close she’s come to becoming like Miranda herself, she has the good sense to get out while she can. I will say that the actors do an excellent job with their roles, evoking myriad emotions (much more successfully than most of the actors in Thor did), but the simple fact is that, even when we’re meant to feel sorry for the characters, it’s a bit hard to get over the fact that they’re all still stuck-up snobs.

Entertainment value is another issue, again due to the characters. Who can say that watching someone getting insulted for over an hour is entertaining? There are some funny scenes, but, since I don’t usually find insults humorous, the comedy was hit-and-miss.

There were no notable visual effects that I could see. So aside from the aforementioned walk-to-work scene, that’s a moot point.

While it’s based on a novel by Lauren Weisberger (which I have not read), I thought it made quite a good jump to the screen, so that’s a plus for originality. I enjoyed the relative lack of sexual scenes and language, though they had to throw in a little profanity and suggestive dialogue to get the PG-13 rating.

As far as watchability, it falls short in my book. As I said, all the insults don’t make it a movie I’d want to see often, but Andy’s forsaking of her path to darkness was a great scene that made it all worthwhile.

 

Best line: Miranda – “You’re very fetching, so go fetch.” (Perfectly sums up Andy’s transformation)

VC’s favorite line: Andy – “I’m trying to get you a flight, but no one is flying out because of the weather [hurricane].”   Miranda – “Please.  It’s just–I don’t know–drizzling [huge thunderclap, palm trees wildly waving in the background].”

Artistry – 3

Characters/Actors – 5

Entertainment – 2

Visual Effects – 2

Originality – 4

Watchability – 3

Other (Moral) – 6

TOTAL:  25 out of 60

Tomorrow — #363: Millennium Actress

© 2014 S. G. Liput