We in the United States like to believe that we reside in a country without royalty and nobility. The only people who think that there is true egalitarianism have never worked in the Entertainment and Media Industries. There is an aristocratic elite, no question, and it is not exactly made up of politicians (although there are some). It is largely composed of those who control media, particularly in television, film, radio, music, fashion, and print. They control what get's seen and what doesn't. When these people put on huge events that involve the press, cameras, and limousines, the public comes out to pay unquestioned homage to these elites, often on the sideline behind a barricade. With cameras flashing, these people are treated like the royalty of the 17th and 18th centuries. "The Devil Wears Prada" examines what is like to be in the inner circle of one of these elites.

In addition to the public's clamoring to glimpse these powerful elites, another segment of the population desires to become one of these people by trying to "break into" the media business. Since there are many more people who dream of being in these circles than there are spots available, this gives enormous power to those already on the inside, particularly those who have sway to either make or break an up-and-coming career. "The Devil Wears Prada" chronicles an aspiring journalist who lands a dream job that, she is told, "thousands would kill for": being the personal assistant to the editor of one of the largest fashion magazines, Runway, whose editor-in-chief makes Bill Gates seem like a softy. The character, Miranda Priestly (played by Meryl Streep in a tour-de-force Oscar-nominated performance) is in fact modeled after real-life Vogue Magazine editor Anna Wintour whose chilling detachment from those around her, her ability to make or break fashion careers, and her cut-throat demands on her staff have become legendary throughout the fashion world.

In the film, the corporation that is "Runway" is no democracy. It is feudalism, with Mirander the absolute queen ruling over her dominion of serfs who constantly scatter about trying to please her. The central character, Andy Sachs, is plunged into this Madison Avenue purgatory without knowing the rules of the game. A journalism-major from Northwestern, Andy knows next to nothing about the fashion world, but it's not just the fashion world--it's the world of the elite in New York. Since everyone wants to gain favor from the higher-ups in order to step up the ladder, there's often over-the-top deference to those in elite positions. I half-expected her female assistants to curtsy when Mirander entered the office. Mirander knows perfectly-well her status and she uses it, often flaunts it, to her advantage. Her staff run around like castle servants anticipating the arrival of the Lady of the Manor.

Streep is magnificent as her voice never reaches past mezzo-piano. When one of her staff has transgressed, or simply cannot fulfill her expectation (I doubt Superman could hold a job there), in the softest tone possible she expresses her disappointment. And yet, the anticipation of her negative reaction is what makes for moments of anti-gravitational intensity. Of course, she never compliments anyone when they've done well. Excellent performance is taken for granted in this kingdom. I've never found the raging tyrant frightening. Rather, it is the even-tempered soft-spoken empress with absolute power who sends anyone who to displeases her to the block with a disinterested wave of the figure that is the most terrifying.

At one point in the film, Andy chuckles when Miranda fusses over some seemingly identical-looking belts which of course spawns a lecture about how Andy's current wardrobe was in fact created by the fashion elite. This does point to another side of the fashion facade which I think may be the point of the film. If you take away the cameras, the celebrities, the allure, the models posing in museums wearing the latest by Christian Dior, at the end of the day all this is about is just jackets, belts, purses, skirts, dresses, and pants. I think one of the characters says as much. These clothes may look wonderful, even stunning, but that's all they are. They are lifeless pieces of fabric cut in a certain way to make the wearer look appealing but that's all it is. The fashion industry of course needs to perpetuate the idea that clothing is much more than clothing: that beautiful fashions will create fairy-tale existences for the purchasers. They are meant to represent a life of luxury and splendor and the purchase of these articles will bring you closer to that reality. When it doesn't, you need to buy more of these clothes. And you need to read Runway (aka Vogue) to tell you what you should buy. Of course, the only ones who actually have these fairy tale existences are the ones providing the clothes. Most of the people buying these fashions are still behind the barricade. Is there an irony here?

Unmissable for Meryl Streep fans. She plays second fiddle to Anne Hathaway here - screen time wise, otherwise she's the whole bloody orchestra. She's the one reason to see the film and that in itself is one hell of a reason. Meryl Streep is fearless and part of the joy of going to see her films is that we know for a fact that she's going to dare and dare and dare. From Sophie's Choice and A Cry in The Dark to Death Becomes Her and Plenty. Here the story is as unbearable as most TV commercials but she, Meryl/Miranda transforms it into something else. We connect with her evil queen because her evil queen is much more real, much more human than anybody else on the screen. Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci are fun but they're in the periphery of a story that's so wafer thing they can't really move to the center. Anne Hathaway is kind of invisible and her character only changes costumes and make up. There is no real tangible growth. Now that I got that out of my system. Go see Meryl be Miranda. You'll have a lot of fun.

Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway) is a recent journalism graduate hoping for a job at an important news outlet. She gets hired by the ruthless Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep) editor of Runway fashion magazine. Only she feels the magazine is beneath her high minded journalism. Emily Blunt plays Miranda's long suffering assistant, and Stanley Tucci plays her longtime second in command.

Of course Andy learns some lessons, grows in character, and faces a choice. The story is pretty standard loosely based on Anna Wintour editor of Vogue. The big plus is the great performances from all three ladies. Emily Blunt is funny. Meryl Streep nails her performance. And Anne Hathaway is great at holding the screen with these powerful performances.

There's absolutely no chemistry between Anne and Adrian. How the hell did they cast him for this role?! Everyone else is brilliant. Classic fun, love this movie.

The Devil Wears Prada (2006)

There are four and a half major stars here, and any part of this movie with any of them is really fabulous. I'm talking Streep of course, and Hathaway who has the main role. Add Tucci who is terrific (as always) and Blunt who is also terrific (as always) and you have he makings of a terrific movie.

So why the downer reviews and semi-dud status? I don't know, except the other parts without any of these, or with just Hathaway and her friends (her peers including her cute but dull boyfriend) are really dull stuff. This is partly the actors and partly the writing, which is truly filler. I can see some people grabbing their remotes at these points.

But let's get to the crux of the movie, which is actually pretty great fun. The parade of great fashion that whizzes by, the haughty power queen that Streep pulls off with such panache, the steady dribble of insults coming from Blunt's mouth, and the transformation of Hathaway, over and over, as she moves her way into this world are all really dazzling. It's a fairy tale with its feet firmly on the ground--but what odd, worldly, glitzed up ground to be standing on.

There are no depths here, just light romantic comedy. It's a situation many of us know--either by having to look good, or by having an impossible boss, or just seeing a relationship dissolve as you move on in your goals and maturity. Between the dreck there is a mostly wonderful idea made into an intermittently wonderful film.

I had been told that Merryl Streep is great in this movie but the movie isn't really very good, so I went in with very low expectations. Maybe that was good: I really liked "The Devil Wears Prada" a lot.

Maybe I liked it because of two things I had in common with Andy: first, I have had the experience of starting a new job with only the vaguest idea of what I was supposed to do (and how to do it) and finding that everyone expected me to perform competently, without any training or help, right away. Second, I have had a boss (female) who was so difficult to please and so willing to tell her underlings how stupid they were that several quit without even waiting until they could find other jobs. In other words, I could really relate to Andy's situation. Stuff like that actually does happen in the real world. Perhaps, that is the reason that I was possibly the only person in the theater who was hoping Andy would not make the choice she made.

One thing that Miranda Priestley (Merryl Streep) had going that my Boss From Hell did not was class. It would have been very easy to create Miranda as a monster, but, wisely and skillfully, Merryl Streep allowed her to have a dignity and intelligence that made her seem to be demanding but not sadistic.

Stanley Tucci is superb as Nigel, the ambitious, hard working man who dreams of having a position of power like Miranda's some day.

"The Devil Wears Prada" is a very funny movie that is not as far divorced from the real world as, I believe, the producers of this movie may have thought.

This movie should be on the top 250. It's original, influential, and stands the test of time. Underrated imo due to the female fan base and mid soundtrack. But the plot is powerful and the outfits are iconic.

No! Miranda Pristley can say it or merely breath it and the refusal comes as a devastating blow to her eager bunch of minions . Those moments were my favorites in a film that promises a hearty meal but delivers a frustrating bland soufflé. Meryl Streep however, makes it palatable and some times right down delicious. Anne Hathaway , so good in "Brokeback Mountain", is so uninteresting here that she manages to survive only when she's sharing the frame with Meryl Streep and that's because we're not looking at her. How can the fairy tale be so uneven, how can we possibly root for the evil stepmother rather than Cinderella. That seems a miscalculation of enormous proportions. All in all I could actually seat through the whole thing again just to see Meryl/Miranda purse her lips.

I got a chance to see a sneak preview, and it was better than expected. First, I have to say that I've never read the book. My friend who saw it with me read it, and she said that the movie was pretty faithful to the book.

The movie stars Anne Hathaway, a writer who winds up applying for, and getting the second assistant position to the Editor-in-Chief of THE fashion magazine called "Runway." Her boss is played by the always fantastic Meryl Streep. While she gets less screen time in the movie, her mean looks and bitchy attitude makes her character stick with you. Also, the movie does give you some soft moments to make her a little more sympathetic than she was portrayed in the novel (or so my friend told me). I do wonder whether or not this movie would've worked if Meryl's character was male instead of female.

I won't bore you with the other plot details because it was actually fun to not know how it unravels. Without the novel to go by, it was fun to figure out what bad thing was going to happen to her next. I do have to say that the movie has achieved the balance of being cute but not corny. You also get to understand why she just takes it all instead of just quitting to begin with. It's funny enough to make you laugh out loud, but more importantly, it's a great film to escape to. Hey, at least for the majority of us, we can come out of the theater and say, "At least my boss isn't like that."

With dialog that absolutely crackles, "The Devil Wears Prada" is bound to please most audiences but will primarily appeal to the MTV generation, I suspect. When all is said and done, it's your typical fish-out-of-water, bright-lights-big-city fable, just dressed up all purdy.

Or, put another way, it's essentially "The Princess Diaries" with much, much, muuuuuuuuuch better dialog and a slightly more sophisticated and dramatic story arc.

So while older audiences may feel the film is a bit formulaic, the hysterical, but occasional cruel, one-liners and zingers hurled at Anne Hathaway's Andy are sure to keep them entertained. Stanley Tucci and Emily Blunt get most of the barbs, and Blunt in particular is fantastic in the film.

Tucci and Meryl Streep, however, get to make the most provocative and stirring speeches in the film, and they deliver. Hathaway capably carried the movie, perhaps overacting, but she makes it work. Streep proves again that she's a gifted comedian. Emily Blunt, as Emily, is pitch perfect, and her performance here gives beautiful irony to her given name.

The film is just too long, however, primarily because the director feels obliged to explain everything -- every plot point is rendered obviously and painfully clear, and nothing left open for interpretation. That said, we're spared the "perfect ending" and left with a heroine who can truly stand on her own two feet, and in any shoes she might desire.

This is a glossy and mostly entertaining film, if a little shallow in terms of story and depth. However, there is a well-written script, that sometimes borders toward predictability, and nice camera-work, not to mention the fashionable costumes. The film's main merit is the performance of Meryl Streep, who rarely disappoints in anything she's in. Here she seems to be relishing the role of the hard-to-please Melinda Priestly. Anne Hathaway of Princess Diaries fame, is very charming and suitably dorky as Andrea Sachs, though I will say her clothes at the beginning of the film were hideous. There is also scene stealing support from Emily Blunt, who delights in making catty remarks throughout the film, and Stanley Tucci, who helps transform Andrea from her former self. One may question whether the film is too long, but it's very fast-paced, so I didn't have a problem with the length. The few criticisms I had with the Devil Wears Prada, is the predictability of the story, and sometimes the lack of depth. Overall, an 8/10 Bethany Cox.

Phil Spector invented modern pop music. Oh, some elements shift from time to time and different performer types are selected to posture in front. But the basic formula is one of filling all the holes. He called it "wall of sound," but Eric Clapton popularized the notion that the lead defines "holes" and its the job of the producer to fill them all.

It has to do with some hardwired notion of richness in the way we perceive things. My own theory is that usually we encounter things that to be understood have to be placed in some sort of context. We have to provide that context by being whole beings who have our own world and understand it. But we don't, usually. We're incomplete, lazy about this. We want prefabricated worlds to provide context and eliminate ambiguities.

That's why we prefer it when an object comes with its own context, like in pop music where there is no vacuum for us to use. Fashion is the same way: there's some sort of bold statement, but it only works if all the holes are filled with accompanying items and attitudes.

And its the same with movies. If you want a movie to be popular, to sit well in the popular eye, you need to make it lush in the small. This project shows signs that it is carefully produced in this way. Look at what happens in the backgrounds: colors, energy, motion. Look at what happens in the blocking: compound events conflated. Look at even the simple setup where a friend sees our young heroine flirt with a suitor. There's a huge amount of attention paid to the environment and the people which surround her.

A Paris street walk is another very fine example.

It isn't as valuable as what I usually look for: actual cinematic art. This is more craft, stagecraft. But it is well enough done to be admired. And entirely apt for a story about an industry that does the same thing.

+++++

There are essentially four characters in this. The boss, our young writer, the "first assistant" who is placed in between in several ways, and the gay (we infer) fashion expert who is placed in between in other ways.

Part of the richness is that each of these is fuller than the usual "lesson" movie would have. All four are compelling performances. But if you haven't yet seen this, I'd like you to pay particular attention to Emily Blount. She's the number 1 assistant.

You've probably seen her before in the very special "My Summer of Love," something human about love and seductions. I think she's a real talent, something different than the others. Oh, they're very good at what they do, finding the right notes. But this woman has something else, something more visceral.

You see, you can dance your own context into this and turn it from something that has no room for you. Try it by following the Emily Blount character, whose name is also Emily. (Hathaway's character is the "new Emily.")

+++++

The moral issue we are meant to capture is more sophisticated than usual, too. Streep's character isn't a devil at all. She isn't quite a useful person in the manner that she actually creates. She doesn't make anything. She doesn't create or design or do anything normally considered the root of the food chain in term of value.

She's part journalist, a sort of elevated, influential journalism that Anne's character doesn't have the horsepower to accept. She's also an arbiter of what matters. Its not a new notion, that some journalists create the world they present, and make it seem real by absolute consistency and projected confidence. Its what politics is. Fashion and politics, religion.

That final challenge, about whether our young journalist will follow what she sees as the devil, that final challenge is more complex than it seems. And though this is a mainstream movie, part of the enrichment is that they didn't tone it down. And they left us with the conclusion that the girl left and wrote the story we see, one which casts the successful worldbuilder as the devil.

++++

Speaking about worldbuilders and fashion. To appreciate this movie, you must see the one on which it relies, "Funny Face." Audrey Hepburn, with the smile that Hathaway mines. Similar situation: fashion, clunky girl becomes fashionably adept, conflict between the "real" and pretend (in that case, philosophy). A trip to Paris — some of the very same establishing shots in fact. An ambiguous resolution that in Hepburn's case involved photography instead of writing.

That movie made Jackie Kennedy possible, which made Jack Kennedy president, and from there, another "wall of sound" that built a reality, incidentally concurrent with the rise of Phil Spector...

Ted's Evaluation -- 3 of 3: Worth watching.

The Devil Wears Prada finds an eager young journalism major Anne Hathaway starting a new job at the fashion industry magazine Runway. She's got the writing credentials, but experience in the industry not a bit. Which is going to be tough because she will be working for Meryl Streep a queenpin of the fashion industry. She's a tough and exacting and demanding supervisor and can't seem to keep good help.

Watching Streep as Miranda Priestley I was reminded about how law clerks worked that way for William O. Douglas on the Supreme Court. He went through them like tissue paper he was that demanding. A brilliant jurist not a very nice man.

Anne Hathaway ever since she was a Disney princess seems always to be cast as sunny, upbeat characters and the casting suits her well. Streep really puts her through the ringer. But the girl had grit.

Streep's a survivor, she's tough in a tough business. One wonders when she was up and coming herself what she might have gone through that make her the way she is.

Hathaway's also got relationship problems with her boyfriend Adrian Greiner who is trying to make it in another tough business, cooking. Hathaway temporarily falls for the charming fashion designer Simon Baker on a quick trip to Paris with Streep.

The Devil Wears Prada got two Oscar nominations, one of the many for Meryl Streep as Best Actress and one for costume design. As this is a film about the fashion industry that would almost seem a requirement.

Fans of Meryl Streep will enjoy this one. You might try viewing this back to back with the Susan Hayward classic I Can Get It For You Wholesale. That film will give you an idea where Streep might have originated from.

My daughter read the book and wanted me to go see the movie with her. I was truly entertained by all of the back-biting and bitching that went on at "Runway" magazine, which is helmed by the inimitable Meryl Streep. She puts the 'itch' in bitch. You wait on tenterhooks for her to devour demure, clueless little Anne Hathaway. Keep waiting. All the while their little dance of death is going on, there is Stanley Tucci in the background, chewing up the scenery. He plays Fairy Godmother to Anne's Cinderella and it is a scene that would make any girl's heart go pitter-pat. All those designer close being thrown about, and the JIMMY CHOOS!!!! If you're going to see the clothes, you will be happy. If you are going to see Meryl act like a bitch, you will be happy. But go to see Stanley Tucci; he is poetry in motion, dressed to the nines (especially in his plaid suit), and as bitchy and gossipy as any old queen!! Plus seeing New York in all of its glory is always a treat. This was a great movie. I highly recommend it to: 20-30something women, gay men, anyone who loves anything Meryl Streep does, and those Stanley Tucci fans out there (and you know who you are!!).

Enjoy!!