By Glenn Kay
For the Sun
Rating: ++
out of ++++
Running Time: 119 minutes
This feature from 20th Century Studios opens exclusively in theaters on Friday, May 1.
This review should begin with a full disclosure on my part. While I have seen a great many films over the past couple of decades, a few have flown under the radar. One of those pictures was the 2006 hit comedy, The Devil Wears Prada. Naturally, I was aware of the upcoming sequel, so I managed to watch it for the first time last weekend and can see why it was a success. While the story doesn’t contain much in the way of high-stakes drama, the film does thrust its fish-out-of-water journalist lead into a uniquely exaggerated depiction of the fashion world, providing some chuckles courtesy of its hugely talented cast.
The Devil Wears Prada 2 emulates the format and style of the original entry, while adding a modern element or two.
In the time since the original film, Andrea “Andy” Sachs (Anne Hathaway) has become an award-winning journalist at a New York news publication. When she and the entire writing staff are laid off, things look grim, leaving Andy desperate for work. Corporate cuts are also hitting the famous Runway magazine, and even editor-in-chief Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep) appears to be feeling the pinch.
After being accidentally involved in a scandal threatening the publication’s reputation, Andy is shocked to receive a phone call from CEO Irv Ravitz (Tibor Feldman). He asks for her help with Runway, hiring her to develop feature articles and help improve their image.
Andy accepts, and once again finds herself dealing with the incredibly difficult Miranda. She does find support in Nigel Kipling (Stanley Tucci), who is still right-hand man to the editor-in-chief. The protagonist also reunites with Emily Charlton (Emily Blunt), who has left Runway and is a senior executive at Dior, while also dating billionaire Benji Barnes (Justin Theroux). Andy is faced with added problems after the CEO’s son Jay Ravitz (B.J. Novak) takes control of the famous publication, and it faces more challenges in order to stay afloat.
With so much time having passed, one might wonder if a follow-up was really necessary. They may still think this during the picture. After reintroducing Andy to the fashion world, even familiar characters initially treat her in exactly the same manner as when she was a university grad. While the previous film ended with all coming to a mutual respect for one another, it isn’t apparent here early on. The screenplay instead rehashes Miranda treating the employees around her, both new and old, in the same horrible manner.
Since the cast are all excellent, a few of the jabs between the characters Miranda and her underlings are amusing. The movie also tries to generate laughs from the character’s difficulties keeping up with changing attitudes. In some respects, when it comes to bluntly calling out style blunders, the gags work, but other gaffes don’t feel authentic or land as sharply. Old habits die hard, but it’s also hard to see why Andy is so fearful, as she was hired by the CEO to actually fix a problem caused by Miranda. There are also a few broadly-drawn characters that don’t connect. Ultimately, the humor is hit-and-miss this time out.
While many of the situations involving relationships are repeated in a similar manner, at least one character in the film does fare better this time out. In the first title, Nigel was forced to quickly shrug-off a lack of recognition by others at the finale. This time out, the story addresses these personal issues and the screenplay gives the important, underappreciated figure more to do, as well as a satisfying character arc.
Another plus is that the dramatic stakes are higher this time out, with the potential for many characters to lose their livelihoods with more and more job cuts. Big moves are made as Andy and others scramble to try and save Runway from a fate similar to other publications, and this does result in one or two effective story twists late in the film. But sadly, there isn’t much of a climax to witness, with the central threat wrapped up cleanly and without many major characters present.
Overall, The Devil Wears Prada 2 is a mixed bag. Like the first movie, it pokes fun at the industry and the wealthy, but doesn’t really want to critique the upper crust or those responsible for the problems the characters are struggling with. That’s odd in this day and age, but given the fact that it is a comedy, is to be expected. Some story elements are overly familiar and fewer jokes land, but once again the cast manage to eke out some chuckles, and one character also gets proper treatment in the story. In the end, expect plenty of wrinkles, but those with a deep affection for the original should find this garment reasonably comfortable.
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