It's been two decades, but the iconic quartet of Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, Stanley Tucci, and of course Meryl Streep, is back in theatres with The Devil Wears Prada 2. I said it before in my summer movie preview, but I'm not the biggest fan of the original film (although I did enjoy it more on a recent rewatch). That being said, this really felt like the perfect kick off to the summer movie season, and I had a great time.
The film picks up 20 years after the first film with Andy (Anne Hathaway) working as a well respected reporter. Sadly, while attending an awards banquet she learns that she and her entire team are being laid off. At the same time, her former employer, Runway, is in hot water after the iconic Miranda Priestly (Streep) mistakenly promoted a brand using sweatshops. Fate intervenes, and Andy finds herself back at Runway to help fix their ailing brand, all while Miranda looks to finally earn a promotion and their parent company looks to potentially sell Runway alltogether.
One thing I was pleasantly surprised by was how much this film tackles real social issues. It has something to say not just about journalistic integrity and how the heart of the journalism industry is in danger right now, but it also quite effectively critiques the rise of artificial intelligence in creative spaces and the kind of tech bros who may know computers and money but have no finger on the pulse of the arts. Justin Theroux plays an Elon Musk-type essentially, and the way he brings this kind of scummy character to life hopefully makes some people think twice before leaping to AI platforms. In tackling these bigger ideas though, the film does get a bit overstuffed at times.
The biggest issue I had with the film was in how much it was throwing at the wall. I appreciated the way these ideas are critiqued, but there are countless side plots and tensions and that leads to a second act that can be a bit laborious. The first and last acts are great, but there's simply too much going on in the middle portion of the film, and that leads to a bit of an extended lull pacing-wise. Andy is given a love interest for pretty much no reason other than to appeal to the rom-com audience, and he is just one of many characters that struggle to find time to shine. One of those characters is actually one of the carryovers, with Emily (Emily Blunt) often feeling forced into story. She is given an arc that I found a bit lazy, and as much as I love Blunt in the role I couldn't help but feel that she wasn't given much to work with as a performer.
While Blunt is underused, Stanley Tucci absolutely shines. His character Nigel is a highlight in the first film, but here he takes an even larger role, and that's one of this sequel's best qualities. Hathaway and Streep coming back and continuing to be iconic is obviously a big part of why this follow-up works, but Tucci brings both a heart and a mediation between the two that the story needs. Even when the pacing struggles, it's still easy as pie to sit back and enjoy spending time with these characters, especially Tucci with his perfect blend of compassion and sass. There are also a handful of fun additions in supporting roles, notably Theroux as mention before, but also Simone Ashley as Miranda's new assistant and Caleb Hearon (who I will love in anything he does).
Naturally, the fashion is another big draw here, and it does not disappoint. There really isn't a scene that doesn't have at least one great costume in it, and the costume design gives the film as a whole that classy feel that I think makes it so special. There isn't anything particularly exceptional with the camerawork or set design, but the costumes bring everything to live in an eccentric way that also aids in painting Miranda's almost godlike figure. It of course also helps that Meryl Streep is essentially Hollywood's version of royalty.
If you like the first movie at all there's almost no way you won't dig this one. That second act does hold it back, but you're thrown right back into the fire with these characters who still feel just like they did 20 years ago, and if nostalgia isn't enough to hook you back in the laughs will do the rest of the work. I had a great time with this and it truly was a great way to start the summer movie season. 3.5/5
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