“The Devil Wears Prada” is one of the most iconic movies of the 21st century, with a star-studded cast and an incredibly witty and engaging script; it was a defining moment in pop-culture.
“The Devil Wears Prada 2” was released in theaters on May 1, debuting with a score of 77% on Rotten Tomatoes and receiving mixed reviews from critics. People had high expectations, but the movie was lacking the glamour and energy that made the first one so alluring. It was bland, but also felt like it was trying too hard to be just as iconic as the original.
Despite the movie’s overall disappointment, there was one thing that the movie did exceptionally well: acting. It’s not surprising, given that the movie was chock full of legendary Hollywood names. Anne Hathaway (Andy Sax), Stanley Tucci (Nigel), Emily Blunt (Emily Charlton), and, of course, Meryl Streep (Miranda Priestly) all put on phenomenal performances. The little moments between the original cast were the strongest parts of the movie because of the actors’ established chemistry with each other.
There’s one scene in particular at the very end of the movie, between Nigel and Andy. It solidified their close relationship and was just really heartwarming, and called back to the original in a tasteful and subtle way, something that I think ended the movie on a very good note.
The comedy aspect of the movie was also extremely enjoyable, with some of that same witty humor from the original coming through.
So, the problem with the movie was not the performances, but rather the lackluster material that the actors were given to work with.
The script felt scattered and aimless, but at the same time, felt like it was trying too hard. One of the biggest problems with sequels is that the writers are more focused on living up to the hype of whatever the original movie was, and “The Devil Wears Prada 2” definitely fell victim to that.
The first movie was known for iconic, somewhat-understated monologues and above all things: subtlety. It seems ironic given that the movie was set in one of the most glamorous and luxurious industries in the world, but it was not some crazy story; it was the life of a 20-something year old girl trying to find herself. It was incredibly down to Earth, something that the new movie completely throws out the window.
In the AP article “‘The Devil Wears Prada 2′ still has style but the story is overdressed,” Jake Coyle writes, “The second ‘Devil Wears Prada’ plays out a bit like a fashion world ‘Succession,’ with better clothes and a lot less cursing.” It’s not the same relatable-yet-romanticized story that made the original so popular in the first place.
The writing itself also just felt very cheesy at times, like it was trying for those iconic one-liners that the first movie is still known for today, but fell flat on its face. Instead of seeming effortlessly cool, it came off as cringey and cheap.
Some of the characters themselves in the new movie were also lacking the depth and intrigue that drew audiences to the first movie. While Nigel and Emily were written well and had compelling arcs (though kind of surface-level), the story’s main characters—Andy and Miranda—were not the same characters that audiences fell in love with in 2006.
Miranda Priestly, one of the most iconic figures in modern pop-culture, felt like a watered down caricature of the original character. While it was obvious that the producers tried to write her snark and wit into the script, she wasn’t the same fierce, intimidating force that she was in the first.
“Everyone, even Miranda, is a bit too, well, nice in ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2,’” Coyle said.
Something about the character just felt so much less interesting, which was very disappointing, especially because Meryl Streep is such an extraordinary actress; it was unfortunate that her character wasn’t done justice by the producers.
Andy’s character was just weird. At times, it felt like she had grown into a mature, confident woman with “expertise,” as she says in the movie, and other times she still seemed immature and naive, qualities that were endearing when Andy was a young girl, but feel out of place now that she’s an adult.
Another thing that felt out of place in “The Devil Wears Prada 2” was some of the political messaging it tried to have. In the beginning there was a major focus on the changing landscape of journalism, and how important journalism, art, and creativity is to people. That message fit very well into the film, and it would’ve been a great through-line, if only they had stuck with it. Instead, they let the only thematically relevant piece of political commentary fade to the background in favor of throwing in a random line about the inaccessibility of high fashion (while everyone in the shot is wearing clothes that could probably buy a car) and adding scene about gentrification for brownie points (and to set up a poor excuse of a meet-cute). It just reads as tone-deaf and sloppy.
Ultimately, the movie took itself too seriously for what it was, while also not taking itself seriously enough. The writing was lacking overall, but in some scenes, it was amazing. The cinematography was nothing special, except for when it was. This film did not have anything close to a concrete identity, which is why it feels so scattered. It’s disappointing, because when this movie is good, it is really, really good, which makes it all the more upsetting when two scenes later, you’re back to cheesy dialogue. I really wanted to like this movie, but I never found myself being pulled into the story.
