A tamer female version of SWIMMING WITH SHARKS, this film looks at the world of fashion with an insider's eye that looks at the pros and cons of the industry. Mainly the cons. The solid script is best served by a wonderful cast, who bring life to characters that in the hands of less skilled performers could have turned into ridiculous caricatures.
Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway, THE PRINCESS DIARIES) is a smart journalism graduate who gets an interview at RUNWAY, the premier fashion magazine in the world. In her less than fashionable attire and complete lack of knowledge about the industry, she seems quite out of her league interviewing as the second assistant to editor-in-chief Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep, ADAPTATION), who is a legend in the business. Miranda's first assistant Emily (Emily Blunt, MY SUMMER OF LOVE) thinks Andy is a joke, but Miranda hires her anyway, because the last two girls Emily picked her idiots.
Andy sees the job as a steppingstone to working at a news publication. However, Miranda isn't the easiest boss in the world. She's incredibly demanding to say the least and looks upon everyone around her as if she is the only person capable of doing anything correctly. Andy begins to learn the ropes from Miranda's right hand man Nigel (Stanley Tucci, THE TERMINAL), who also has a bit of contempt for Andy's complaining that Miranda is mean to her due to the fact that so many who care about fashion would kill to have her job and take the abuse. Soon Andy is swept up in the glitzy world, dressing the part and running to Miranda's beck and call, which begins to wear on her boyfriend Nate (Adrian Grenier, TV's ENTOURAGE). However, one minor misstep could send Andy packing.
Egos are often huge in any high-powered company, but it seems celebrity also brings an even bigger degree of arrogance. For those who have seen the high-pressure world of SWIMMING WITH SHARKS or PRADA and think it can't be that bad, they are wrong. Miranda Priestly is a conniving, power monger who loves her job. There's a great scene where Andy casually chuckles at a seemingly insignificant detail and Miranda puts her in her place in a way that makes Andy look like a moron. Streep deserved her Oscar nomination for creating a pitch perfect boss from hell, who is completely full of herself, but 100% believable.
Equally noteworthy is Tucci's performance as the catty gay designer. He never tips into camp, making the character stand out as something refreshingly original and real instead of a cliché gay comic relief character. It's an example of a well-written supporting character that isn't ruined by a performer who doesn't get it. Likewise, Blunt does the same with her character, making her bitchy but not evil. Our window into the world, Andy, is performed well by Hathaway. She gets wrapped up in the world and lifestyle without transforming into a silly clone of Miranda. She's just an ambitious girl who loses track of her priorities because she's "drunk the Kool-Aid" and is too busy to realize what she has lost.
The only character that just felt too much like a plot device was NEW YORKER reporter Christian Thompson (Simon Baker, SOMETHING NEW). He pops up when needed and is often only around to provide information. I would have also liked to see more scenes with Andy and Nate.
Based on Lauren Weisberger's best-selling novel, the film, directed by David Frankel and adapted by Aline Brosh McKenna, does something quite surprising. It never looks down on the world of fashion. It presents it as it is and says love it or leave it, but don't deny that it affects everyone in some way whether we want to admit it or not. The structure of the story isn't surprising, but McKenna fleshes out real characters that bring the film authenticity. The ending doesn't surprise us, but the characters along the way will. It's a witty look at the seductive nature of the fast lane. Some love the rush and will never leave. Others need to discover the full extent of the rules and decide whether they want to continue to play such a harsh game.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
