In Cynical Fashion (The Devil Wears Prada 2 review)

2 decades later, The Devil Wears Prada has a cult following, not only for its campy aspects but also for its specific take on motivation in the workplace, how one is perceived when their life is consumed by work, and the consequences that bring to their personal life. There have been many ways in which people who have seen the 2006 film have been inspired by a work ethic, because it made such an impact on the professional zeitgeist.

It was not surprising when they announced they were developing a sequel outside the confines of the novel it was originally based on, and, of course, leaning into the nostalgia bait. The sequel not only needed to live up to the predecessor but also make an impact; it needed a reason to exist, especially when many other sequels to franchises that started 10 to 20 years ago barely spark a conversation worth having. 

What I can say is that The Devil Wears Prada 2 has a message, a specific one that involves saving the art form, from this movie's context, specifically through the integrity of journalism or the creativity of fashion, but has a cynical resolution. You can guess from that sentiment that the movie will be tackling not only AI worries, but also the timely worry of a tech mogul taking over large corporations and liquidating departments that don't pull their weight. It has an interesting angle, an almost real one, seeing perspectives of that conversation at the office and outside the office. 

However, the sequel's script is not the first film to include a similar plot or climax. At this scale, you would consider that the writers wanted to write a story that would at least make one think about the realities of the specific issue, similar to the first film, and that has a more tasteful ending. I am speaking to the characters more so than the narrow story we are going through here. This script, as a standalone, does seem characteristic enough to one-up against the tech bros to create a world that appreciates artists, something I may have gone through my own ways of sitting down and understanding the intentions of these choices. 

But when it comes to the characters, there are things they do wonders with, while failing to salvage others. I have to start with Anne Hathaway's Andy Sachs, the film's focus: despite being at the height of her career, she still suffers from the industry's optimism and naivete, but gets bogged down this time around by the plot's cynicism. Even without giving a character flowers, Stanley Tucci's Nigel still does not get the flowers he deserves; he remains Miranda's right-hand man, and she still walks all over him on the runway. The ironic thing is that they acknowledge this but don't do anything to change it. He is still giving Andy advice, someone who shouldn't need advice; he is still the middleman between Miranda and every person she is having odds with. Maybe there is some realism in that with people who have been working at a place for years but never get a promotion, but it was disheartening to see that nuance with the choices made for his character. 

Emily Blunt's character is one of the characters I am glad they blew open, from her leaving Runway, to her relationship with Miranda, and Andy has translated 20 years later, into what kind of a person she grew to become, which seemed inevitable, which was interesting to watch. They made her complex, relatable, and memorable, while also keeping her as memorable as she was all those years ago when she was first starting out in Hollywood. 

Similarly, it can be said for Miranda, too. There's no doubt that Meryl Streep would bring back a character she won an Oscar for, and she does show a different side of the dragon lady, now at a different part of her career. Despite failing to get her out of the top the first time, this attempt seems a bit more realistic and a bit scarier. With jabs at HR over complaints about bosses' bad behavior, this new, modern workplace environment is affecting her every move. Miranda Priestly has indeed changed in the last 20 years, for better or for worse, and this is something worth deducing as the plot progresses. 

There are several other cameos and some memorable smaller roles for actors you may or may not have known would be a part of this very huge sequel. One of them I especially enjoyed is Simone Ashley, who happens to be Miranda's new assistant and looks gorgeous on her own. Unfortunately, a lot of the supporting cast, including Ashley, are simply planted parts of the film, whether to blow open the modern workplace aesthetic or to check boxes, we will never know for sure.

This might be a good opportunity to mention the costumes or 'the fashion part' of the film, where every piece of clothing each cast member is wearing is absolutely gorgeous, something you should expect from a movie about fashion, reminding audiences what they are watching, despite the plot focus. But I think I should mention that despite the choices that I am neutral on, the sequel is a fun one. The sequences are well done; the dialogue is as quippy as you'd expect, with dialogue and monologues that are quote-worthy alongside meme-worthy scenes. Most importantly, it does feel like a return to this world and these characters, like reuniting with old friends and catching up on what has been going on in their lives.