Film review: The Devil Wears Prada

Based on the roman à clef novel written by Lauren Weisberger, The Devil Wears Prada is undoubtedly one of the most brilliant films I’ve ever seen.

Meryl Streep plays Miranda Priestly, the viciously savage editor-in-chief of prestigious fashion magazine, Runway. Under her wrath is recent graduate, Andrea Sachs (Anne Hathaway) who is put through her paces as Miranda’s latest assistant, doing anything and everything to keep ‘the devil’ appeased.

This movie gives you everything you could possibly expect from the world of a fashion magazine; the powerful female editor, the sexy women desperate to make it big (or small if you look at it from their dress size), bitchiness, competitiveness, and of course, the pressure to look good in order to fit in.

The directing by David Frankel is second to none. The opening scene makes it hilariously clear that Andrea is not like other women in the world of fashion, and he even gets it down to the tiny details, like the shot of Miranda’s (obviously) Prada bag as she makes her debut in the film.

Despite the serious undertones of the pressures of working in this kind of environment, the movie offers plenty of laugh out loud moments, offered mainly by Miranda’s other assistant Emily (Emily Blunt). Emily is the desperate-to-please English girl in New York; fashionista wannabe, panicking at every opportunity and hilariously injuring herself in a bid to please Miranda, and Blunt plays her perfectly.

This remarkably funny, yet serious, creation is a must-see movie. For me, it fell into the category of films I’m ashamed to say I haven’t seen before now, but after watching it, it’s confirmed to me that Meryl Streep is one of the best actresses of all time. So, if you haven’t seen it, watch it now- it’s uplifting, easy to watch and downright marvellous.