Cert – 12, Run-time – 1 hour 59 minutes, Director – David Frankel
After being fired from her newspaper journalism job, Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway) is re-hired at Runway as features editor, trying to navigate a demand for clicks over industry insight and editor-in-chief Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep)
A lot has changed around the characters in the world of The Devil Wears Prada, even if they, for the sake of the viewers, haven’t. There’s not just as much dialogue said with an eye roll or disapproving hmmm as 20 years ago, there’s more. It seems that the tone of many of the standout quotes from Andy Sachs’ (Anne Hathaway) last stint at Runway have been taken to make for the dominant tone throughout the screenplay, an original instead of being based on either of Lauren Weisberger’s sequel novels to her 2003 original.
Runaway may still be a, albeit thinner, print magazine but the majority of its ‘content’ gets put online in a fight for clicks and social success. After losing her journalism job in a series of layoffs Andy is employed as the new features editor to try and see the magazine through a turbulent controversy linking to their promotion of a brand using sweatshops. As things develop it becomes apparent that the directions this sequel takes gives it a narrative that’s certainly not as simple as last time, but not the most complex tangle. However, it is a very plot-heavy film when it comes to each scene’s contribution, coming across as slightly more complex than it actually is due to all the pawns in play.
Whilst balancing demands from magazine owners to get better stats with her pieces, snark thrown from ever-present editor-in-chief Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep performing as if she hasn’t broke character for two decades) and a late-in-the-day introduction for love interest, apartment contractor Peter (Patrick Brammall), a strand which feels as if it could be easily cut to ease the run-time, Andy is trying to work out what journalism means and stands for in this day and age, particularly in the fashion industry. It’s an idea that fluctuates in how much it wants to be played with, at least in terms of how passionately it’s put across. Another sign of just how much the film seems to try to juggle, despite not really being as complex as it seems.
It seems the case that instead it’s more trying to fit as much as possible in. Including occasional throwbacks to the first film, which feel held back by being slightly forced, and new characters going just beyond catch-up parts of relationships and context. Emily (Emily Blunt) returns and occasionally feels like she’s slightly jammed in because she needs to be there instead of having a proper course thought out for her character, although still selling the snark and frustration and getting one of the best lines of the film (once again about carbs).
With how much is stuffed into The Devil Wears Prada 2 you’d hope that there will be enough that lands and works. For the most part things generally land successfully, including a good handful of the gags. There may not quite be anything laugh out loud funny, but there’s a lot that’s perfectly amusing to help see things through. The sequel may not have lines of dialogue that will be quoted in 20 years time, but it’s got enough to provide a few chuckles for the duration of the run-time. Helped by the welcome familiarity of the central ensemble who appear to be having great fun being back with each other and these roles. So does the film with just how much it wants to give them to do.
Not complex, but it may seem it from just how stuffed it is, The Devil Wears Prada 2 may be overlong, but it proves to be consistently amusing whilst on, with help from a returning cast who jump right back into character with ease.
Just A Little Bit Random 