We have a tendency to marry our jobs. For better or worse, many of us spend more time with our occupations than we do with the ones we truly love. If that is the case, you have to be cautious of the type of relationship you enter into. You never know what type of person it may turn you into.
In "The Devil Wears Prada", Meryl Streep is the presumed devil as the editor-in-chief of the fictitious prestigious fashion magazine Runway. Anne Hathaway is a budding journalist who sees working as a peon assistant one way to get her foot in the door. She knows she may be in over her head but has no idea how far until its too late.
It was just a matter of time before Hathaway's character, Andrea, tries to do what she can to fit in. She starts off by just dressing like her co-workers but eventually it leads to more. The appearance
permeates her being and she unconsciously moves toward the dark side. She never gets full circle to the point where she loses her soul though. There is even that Vader/Luke moment where you see Andrea make that pivotal choice as to which path she must take.
Streep's role here as Miranda Priestly is unlike any I have ever seen her in. Many of her characters will always have that familiar trait of brimming confidence. However, they were never quite the ice queen she gives us here. The great thing about it is even with that cold facade, we get glimpses that she is human. Miranda herself can see it although she refuses to let her guard completely down. There is still that image that must be maintained.
I thought had predicted the ending at a certain point until they flipped the script on me. The overall spirit of the movie didn't change though. We still get the distinct impression that Miranda's obsession to influence the lives of others both directly and indirectly doesn't appear to fade with her age.
Even though it's a comedy, "The Devil Wears Prada" bears some dramatic elements that everyone in the corporate workplace can relate to. This takes place in the fast-paced world of fashion yet the stress factors are similar. To some extent, many people make sacrifices to succeed in their careers. The question is how much are they willing to pay and how much will it cost?
My rating: B-
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