A few years ago now at another (dead) site, I wrote about how my tastes differ from most men my age. Unlike other 20-something men who probably like watching Tom Cruise pretend he’s actually entertaining, I adore Aline Brosh McKenna’s adaptation of The Devil Wears Prada alongside my love of Ugly Betty.

The “ugly duck out of water” tales of two already beautiful women made up to look so-called unflattering with the eventual makeover scene revealing their true selves are a film and TV series that I’ve watched countless times. I believe this is where I have to relinquish the man card that I received after I took a sip of my first pint. Or at least I would have if I didn’t make a disgusted face after that sip.

The film was adapted from Lauren Weisberger’s 2003 novel, presumably based on her experience as the assistant to the top name in fashion publishing, Vogue‘s Anna Wintour. The original release sold about as well as Cara Delevigne’s Vogue cover or Meghan Markle’s after that. Released in 2006, the film had big names behind it.

Anne Hathaway was fresh off the heel of similar coming-of-age comedy-drama The Princess Diaries, there was also the forever fantastic Meryl Streep, Stanley Tucci off the back of The Terminal, and it would become director David Frankel’s biggest success following some episodes of Band of Brothers, Sex in the City, and his own Academy winning short Dear Diary. Sadly it also kicked off the career of Emily Blunt.

Prize among them was the French-born American writer who broke into the industry with a Matthew Perry film, Three To Tango. Aline Brosh McKenna is probably best known now for “chick flicks” such as Morning Glory, 27 Dresses, and most famously The Devil Wears Prada. She is known more recently for the fantastic Crazy Ex-Girlfriend on CW. Similar to Gillian Flynn’s film adaptation of McKenna’s work, McKenna took Weisberger’s story of an upper-middle-class woman with no interest in fashion to the big screen and kept it close to the writer’s original work.

If there is one thread of the film that I wish was left out it has to be lead Andy’s relationship with Nate (Alex in the book). After finally reading Weisberger’s book this year, I can see why. This isn’t a review of the book hidden inside the film review, but as much as it similarly follows the Gone Girl adaptation method, there is a stark contrast between the two.

Frankel and McKenna’s film focuses almost entirely on Andrea and her struggle, but also her eventual ability to keep her head above water in a world she doesn’t initially feel comfortable in. Weisberger’s tale is very much about the pressure Andrea is under due to family, friends, relationships, and an everpresent job she has taken lightly and grows to hate.

The overall cynicism of the original work is stripped away for what is effectively the standard film of the mid-2000s. Mckenna’s 2010 film, Morning Glory, starring Rachel McAdams, Harrison Ford, and Diane Keaton follows beat for beat the same ideas. A young woman in a new big city job is flung into the deep end with colleagues/bosses that are hellish to deal with, and in the end, she stays despite all the previous stress. There is also a superfluous relationship thrown in because she’s a young woman and thus needs a love interest to support her, apparently.

This isn’t to belittle McKenna’s writing of both films, I love The Devil Wears Prada and Morning Glory for their simplicity to tell a story. Nor am I attempting to temper my opinion on the leads of either film. There is no better casting than Streep and Hathaway, or McAdams and Ford for their respective roles. As already mentioned, Hathaway had become the mid-2000s queen of the de-makeover transition on the big screen, and her Andy Sachs is endlessly endearing. Streep’s cold and uncompromising Miranda is perfection itself that I couldn’t see another playing even half as well.

Despite the jab at this being the big screen start to Emily Blunt’s career, which wouldn’t properly take off internationally until the early 2010s, this is easily her most enjoyable performance. I don’t believe I’m the first to say that I’ve never cared for her.

From Gulliver’s Travels, Looper, Edge of Tomorrow, The Girl on the Train, and most recently Jungle Cruise and Mary Poppins Returns, she’s never popped for me quite like she did here. Throughout reading Weisberger’s novel, much like the other two castings, Blunt is a face and voice that is unshakable from the character of Emily.

I don’t think I can share the same praise I’ve given either for Blunt, Streep, or Hathaway as I can with everyone else though, including the often wonderful Stanley Tucci. Up and down the cast from there on, I’m left with not very much from their performances. Especially when it comes to the relationship between Andy and Nate(/Alex).

For being a criticism of fashion both as a business and entertainment, McKenna’s adaptation isn’t so much the brash lashing out that Weisberger’s original material is. However, it does surpass the original in making Miranda a fully-fledged antagonist that believes all she says.

The soundtrack is stereotypical of the mid-00s, and that’s not entirely a criticism against it but it also isn’t total praise. There certainly are highlights that are very 2006, such as KT Tunstall’s “Suddenly I See,” Alanis Morissette’s “Crazy,” and two features of Madonna’s catalog, but there is also some almighty crap in there too.

If there is one thing I like most in a soundtrack, either for games, tv, or film, it is a nice tone being struck that captures the essence of what we see or play. Something to make the soundtrack an album you can listen to on its own. Sadly, the soundtrack to The Devil Wears Prada isn’t that great to listen to on its own. Theodore Shapiro’s suite certainly is worth a listen once though.

Ultimately, as I said towards the start of this redux of my original review that is now mostly gone, I love this simple, less cynical, and more enjoyable exposé on the world of fashion journalism. Though Frankel’s direction is lacking in some inspiration it does well to stay out of the way of the story.

For example, letting Streep dress down Andrea in the Cerulean monologue is doing little more than getting the job done. Despite effectively being just another “chick-flick,” The Devil Wears Prada like Clueless, Miss Congeniality, Easy A, Mamma Mia!, Mean Girls, Legally Blonde, and yes, The Princess Diaries, is a great film anyone can enjoy.

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The Devil Wears Prada

$14.99

8

Score

8.0/10

Pros

• Pitch perfect casting.
• Aline Brosh McKenna's expert writing.
• Meryl Streep's performance throughout.

Cons

• Some uninspired direction.
• Melodramatic relationship.