Whatever the secret formula was it worked and the film became a cult classic for a generation.
Now, 20 years later, and The Devil Wears Prada 2 finally arrives in cinemas. To its credit, the studio hasn’t tried to change too much. The main cast – Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci – all return. As does much of the creative team, including director David Frankel. Yes, for once a studio has decided to keep things as they were, the things that made the original film so popular, rather than re-invent the wheel and try and make something modern.
The plot itself picks up 20 years after the original. Andy (Anne Hathaway – Les Miserables) is now a successful journalist. Her latest exposé has just picked her up one of the most prestigious journalism awards. However, she soon finds out that in the ever-changing world of journalism people these days no longer want that kind of story – just moments before she accepts the award she and the rest of her team find themselves fired.
At the same time over at Runway magazine Miranda Priestley (Meryl Streep – Mamma Mia) and her loyal colleague Nigel (Stanley Tucci – The Hunger Games) are facing a drama of their own. A clothing label that was recently recommended by the magazine has just been exposed for using slave labour – and the magazine’s rivals are quick to point out that it seems Runway supports this unethical behaviour.
In a bid to save face Runway’s owner hires Andy. He feels that Andy’s hard hitting journalism is exactly what the magazine needs to overcome the scandal they find themselves embroiled in. While the challenge excites Andy, she soon finds herself at loggerheads with Miranda. As if to add insult to injury, her first ‘hard-hitting’ story she is ordered to do is a fluff piece on her old sparring partner Emily (Emily Blunt – Edge Of Tomorrow).
Popcorn audience
For the most part The Devil Wears Prada 2 feels like it is going over old ground. There is the verbal sparring between Miranda and Andy all while the latter is trying to prove to the former that she is a worthy addition to the Runway family. The only difference this time around is that now Andy understands the world of fashion, something that impresses Nigel and means that she has an ally in her corner.
At times, Aline Brosh McKenna’s (Cruella) screenplay seems like it wants to take the film into the area of exploring what modern day journalism is about, but it never really takes that big step into looking at how much politics today influence journalism, or even the influencer culture that seems to fill social media these days. Instead, much like the work that Andy is asked to do at Runway, it becomes a fluff piece. And I should point out that there is nothing wrong with that, because The Devil Wears Prada 2 is not supposed to be a hard-hitting film. This is supposed to be a film that simply makes its popcorn audience happy.
The film does attempt an overly convoluted storyline that involves a trip to Europe and Andy having to try and save the day. Plus there is the traditional romance story as Andy is given a new love interest. However, all of that falls flat and seems pretty mundane. The film is at its best when it goes back to its roots and explores things such as the relationship between Miranda and Nigel – and of course, looks at whether or not Andy will ever truly find her spot at Runway.
In a lot of ways, the most interesting story arc in The Devil Wears Prada 2 is that revolving around Nigel. Stanley Tucci runs with that and often steals the scene. It perhaps wasn’t the screenwriters’ intention but the film is set up in such a way that Nigel easily became my favourite character.
Once again, Anne Hathaway shines, but her best scenes are the ones that see her verbally sparring with Meryl Streep and perhaps we just don’t have enough of them.
The Devil Wears Prada 2 never really reaches the heights of the first film but at the same time, you can’t say that it is a disappointment. It doesn’t exactly break new ground or reveal any riveting story arcs for its characters, but at the end of the day, this movie entertains and therefore true fans of the franchise will not walk away disappointed.
The Devil Wears Prada 2 is currently screening in Phuket and is rated G.
3.5/5 Stars
David Griffiths has been working as a film journalist for over 25 years. That time has seen him work in radio, television and in print. He currently hosts a film podcast called The Popcorn Conspiracy. He is also a Rotten Tomatoes accredited reviewer and is an alternate judge for the Golden Globes Awards. You can follow him at Facebook: SubcultureEntertainmentAus.