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Movie Review - The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
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(What this rating means)
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| Director: |
David Frankel |
| Starring: |
Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Stanley Tucci, and that guy with the hair from Entourage |
| Rated: |
PG-13 (for some sensuality) |
| Length: |
109 minutes |
| Genre: |
Comedy/Drama |
| Tagline: |
None. |
| Studio: |
20th Century Fox |
| Website: |
The Devil Wears Prada |
| Release: |
June 30, 2006 |
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PLOT
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Andrea (Hathaway) has just graduated from college and moved to New York to become a journalist. Despite having no
interest in fashion, and admitting it in her interview, she lands a job as the second assistant to Miranda Priestly
(Streep), the head of "Runway" magazine in New York.
Runway is the leading fashion magazine in the industry, and Priestly is the biggest name in fashion. All the
designers want her to like their collections (and will even change them completely if she doesn't), everyone bows to
her, and she is impossible to please. Her last two second assistants haven't been able to make it, and nobody
expected Andrea to either.
Armed with the knowledge that a year as Priestly's assistant could open the door to her dream job, Andrea is
determined to stick it out. A movie that sends a bad message to women everywhere ensues.
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MS. CALI'S TAKE
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As far as entertainment value goes, this movie is actually pretty good. It's well acted, funny at times, and doesn't
get overly sappy with its message.
But it's that message that I had the biggest problem with. Andrea takes the job, knowing that it can open so many
doors for her, and knowing that it's just for a year or so. She puts up with a lot from Priestly, who is tough on
everyone around her (except maybe her twin daughters). Priestly has gotten where she is - at the top of the biggest
fashion magazine in the world - by digging her nails into the ladder and not letting go (even if someone else
happened to be on that rung at the time).
Andrea starts out not at all interested in the fashion industry. She's not really trying to do her job right,
because she doesn't think any of it is important. Once she comes to the realization, however, that fashion isn't the
big, evil monster it seems, but really does play a large role in even her life, she starts giving the job her all.
However, constantly being on call, often having to drop personal plans at the last minute, starts to tear apart her
personal life. Rather than realizing that this job can get her places in her career, and that she needs to make a
few sacrifices for a short period of time (because, seriously, what is a year or so out of an entire life?), and
supporting her in that, her boyfriend (the guy with the hair from Entourage) constantly complains about her job and
tries to get her to quit. When she misses his birthday celebration, he is understandably upset, but the fact that he
never supports her made him just look like a jerk in that scene. If he were generally supportive, but just had a
bad moment, I would have been able to sympathize with him. As it was, I just wanted her to break up with him right
then and there.
In an age where women are breaking more barriers than ever before, climbing the corporate ladder and leading Fortune
500 companies, this movie sends the wrong message. Andrea herself sums it up perfectly in one scene (paraphrasing
here, because I can't remember the exact wording of the quote), "You think Miranda Priestly is a vicious,
conniving *itch. If she were a man, she'd just be good at her job."
In the end, Andrea has to decide what kind of life she wants. Does she want to fight her way to the top, knowing
that she'll have to make a few sacrifices (or, perhaps, thinking she'll change the way things are done?), or will
she give up success to get her personal life back?
Only she can decide what is right for her. The problem I have with the message in the movie is that it makes it seem
as if only one choice is valid.
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ODDS & ENDS
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- Ms. Cali has never read the book this is based on, and doubts she ever will.
- Ms. Cali is currently reading a book about the Devil's nemesis however. It is called "God" and is a study of all
the references to God (sort of a history of God, if you will) in the scriptures of several religions. It is a
fascinating book so far.
- Ms. Cali was able to see this movie in the theater because Mr. C likes Anne Hathaway. That is the only reason
he agreed to go see it.
- Ms. Cali really didn't feel like looking up too many facts about this movie.
- Anne Hathaway was in The Princess Diaries with Julie Andrews who was in Mary Poppins with Glynis
Johns, who was in While You Were Sleeping with Peter Gallagher who was in The OC with Kelly Rowan who
was in The Outer Limits with Josh Brolin.
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MAMA'S APPROVAL
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Mama wouldn't really have a problem with this movie. Pre-teen girls will probably enjoy it, but younger than that
may not.
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TRAILER COMPARISON
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What you see is what you get here.
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THE GIST
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The Devil Wears Prada is a funny, entertaining movie that would be a great summer chick flick if it didn't
send the wrong message.
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