The Devil Wears Prada

⭐ 7.0/10

(Originally written by Tim)

The best part of this movie is the acting. I think Hathaway's character is the most cookie-cutter rom-com character and she is only remembered because of Hathaway's charisma. Same goes for Streep, she is cruel for basically no reason, or at least the movie attempts to give her some shallow background to explain things, so it would be a Hallmark movie with any other actor.

I also like that this movie is filmed on location in Manhattan and Paris. But then there is also a hotel room in Paris with a clearly green-screened window shot of the Eiffel tower, so just like with Forgetting Sarah Marshall why film in expensive places and then cut corners for weird stuff?

Otherwise I found this movie unsatisfying, and reading other reviews online of people who love this was so baffling. People think her boyfriend is controlling and stopping her from her dream career? What movie are people watching? Her boyfriend is better looking than the fashion guy she sleeps with, for which there are zero consequences. That's all I wanted, she sells her soul to the devil and does terrible things but then changes her mind at the end and all is forgiven. Give me some consequences!

I like Emily Blunt, and I like the world they have built up, and I was glad Streep's character doubles down on the evilness and is not redeemed. But allowing our girl to have this dalliance with the devil and come out a better person on the other side, and also landing the dream job because of it, is insane.

I saw this movie compared to Whiplash online, which was interesting, since that's a 10/10 movie. I was reading this was "Whiplash for girls", and Streep's character wouldn't be considered as evil if she was a man. I completely disagree, she is so unreasonable and unapologetic, gender has nothing to do with it. A woman being an evil boss to try to succeed in a man's world is an interesting angle, but I don't think that justifies her as a #girlboss and I don't think the movie thinks it does. But ya, I was trying to come to terms with Whiplash, and I realized its because in that movie he sells his soul to the devil and then commits to the fallout! He wants everything that comes with being a horrible but driven person, so the ending isn't feel good. There is catharsis in the epic finale, but the cost of greatness weighs on this whole movie. If Anne decided to become Streep, or even easier if she didn't get to keep the boyfriend she cheated on, then I think this would be a valid comparison. Also no one glorifies Simmons' character in that movie!

7 stars for reminding me of how good Whiplash is.