The Devil Wears Prada 2: Back On The Catwalk (Early Review)

It feels almost surreal to be talking about a movie that for as long as one can remember, felt like a mere fleeting thought or a concept that existed only in the ether. Over the last 20 years, there has never been a time when a sequel to “The Devil Wears Prada” wasn’t entertained, or given the slightest bit of thought. The first film, based on the novel by Lauren Weisberger, was a funny, even thoughtful satire on the fashion industry and the sometimes ridiculous beauty standards that are in effect, as well as the power plays made to get to the top, chasing a life that “everybody” wants. It was a success, and since its release, “The Devil Wears Prada” has only become more engrained within the modern pop culture zeitgeist, with various quotes and scenes being constantly referenced, and the movie becoming a staple viewing for many around the world. 

Now, two decades later, the story finally continues in The Devil Wears Prada 2, a sequel that reunites many of the original’s cast members, as well as much of the crew, including director David Frankel and writer Aline Brosh Mckenna. The overarching plot is straightforward: a lot has changed since 2006, particularly in terms of the state of journalism as more and more outlets have become digitized and moved online. With these changes and recent news-making events putting Runway at risk, Andy Sachs (Hathaway), now a well-established writer in the city, returns to the magazine to once again work with its ruthless editor-in-chief Miranda Priestly (Streep), in order to help save Runway and restore its journalistic reputation once again, which may or may not involve taking on Miranda’s former assistant, Emily Charlton (Emily Blunt).

The Devil Wears Prada 2 wastes no time re-establishing the world of the original film and calling back multiple events and happenings that have since become even more popular, with the core cast seamlessly slipping back into their roles and bringing these characters to vivid life once again. Much of the first movie’s strengths carry through in that regard, particularly with the impeccable synergy between its four core cast members and even recapturing some of the dry sense of humor and satirical edge that permeated the dialogue and storytelling, with even a few familiar needle drops to boot. Hathaway is fantastic here as Andy, as she tries to work with Miranda (who conveniently doesn’t remember her much from 2006), and make attempts to help Runway, as well as try and figure out her own personal life in the process. Her dynamic with characters like Nigel (Stanley Tucci) and Emily remain quite a bit of fun. Tucci is once again incredibly magnetic in the role, bringing the charismatic and hilarious fashion expert to life wonderfully, and Blunt once again is terrific as the, well, “blunt” ex-assistant to Miranda and current head of Dior who cannot believe she has to deal with Andy again. Much like the first, it looks gorgeous. The costume design is once again top-notch, with some vivid and dazzling colors on screen gracing its actors, and some stunning production design and representations of the different cities that make it even more impressive.

Of course, this brings us to the star herself. In what may be the least surprising thing someone will hear about The Devil Wears Prada 2, Streep is phenomenal in it. Having been nominated for an Oscar the first time around for playing Miranda, she once again effortlessly plays the cold, calculated nature of the character in the interactions she has with other staff at Runway, as well as anyone in her professional life trying to find a way up in the industry. Her word remains the final one, though in this sequel, Miranda ever so often shows her more human and vulnerable side as well, as someone who occasionally shows a whisker of empathy to remind others that she is still human. That balancing act is once again pulled off brilliantly here, and every scene with her is a delight to watch.

What is also most impressive about the film, however, is its outlook on the state of modern journalism and the push to turn the industry into something more corporate and even soulless, and how many writers are doing their absolute best to navigate through that landscape. It aims to show that in the end, upholding the ethical values of journalism is what really matters and that eventually, the quality of storytelling and introspective work will be what come through and revered, not the quantity of said work and the need to dilute everything down to easily clickable and scrollable material that relies heavily on metrics and numbers to remain relevant. In that regard, The Devil Wears Prada 2 is a far more serious movie than the first, and even feels more real at times, when taking into consideration how many writers and members of prominent newspapers and magazines are nowadays at risk of being laid off at a moment’s notice because of some kind of corporate maneuvers. It may have many scenes of humor and some of the quick-witted dialogue like its predecessor, absolutely, but its more poignant commentary on the world at the moment makes it an effective watch.

All that being said, the film is far from perfect. Quite often, it has a few too many ideas it wants to hone in on, and it can often buckle under that pressure. Far more happens in The Devil Wears Prada 2 than one might gather from the synopsis–and even the trailers–have not hinted at, and when those aspects are addressed, they can sometimes feel a bit slight and fall to the wayside easily. As a result, some of the side characters that are introduced, played by actors like Simone Ashley, Kenneth Branagh and Justin Theroux, the latter factoring into the plot quite a bit as the film progresses, are not given much to work with after a point. As does sometimes happen with legacy sequels that arrive after a long period of time, it does have some first act growing pains when re-introducing everything from before, and making a plethora of references to the first movie to re-establish itself, but becomes a bit more focused past that point, though some of the pacing is overall affected. In effect, it can make this feel a bit less tightly scripted and well-constructed than the first, though it still manages to be a rather entertaining watch and a solid sequel that more than makes it case to exist 20 years later.

Time will tell if The Devil Wears Prada 2 will be talked about in the same breath as the first. The first film, at the time of release, was incredibly popular, but no one would have known the legacy it would create for itself in the years to come. Will this sequel be talked about as much 20 years from now? Perhaps, perhaps not, but it is a testament to the love and passion the team behind both movies have for these stories, that despite some issues here and there, this is a very fun time and will likely work very well with fans of the first. That’s all.

*still courtesy of 20th Century Studios*

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Shaurya Chawla