This week's hot pick: The Devil Wears Prada

Tuesday, December 12, 2006

Meryl Streep's portrayal of the grand dame dragon-lady editor of a New York fashion magazine who is the boss from hell helped make this film a surprise hit of the summer.

It's an extravagant, showy, broadly conceived role but, instead of chewing the scenery, Steep underplays the part and makes Miranda Priestley a more human character than she was in Lauren Weisberger's best-selling novel.

The heroine is Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway), a frumpy young recent Northwestern graduate who goes to New York and gets an unlikely job as the second assistant to Priestly, the editor of the fashion-industry bible.

Andy has serious journalistic ambitions and absolutely no interest in fashion. But, even though everyone on the magazine treats her like a pariah and wants her to quit her impossible job, she decides to stick it out.

Gradually, she rises to the challenge and the movie becomes both a Cinderella story, as Andy is transformed into a fashion plate and workhorse; and a morality tale, in which she must decide between her "good" values and the "bad" values of workaholic corporate America.

The movie has a lot going for it: a privileged look inside the world of fashion journalism, a magical interlude in a storybook Paris, bright supporting performances by Stanley Tucci and Emily Blunt, the likable presence of Hathaway, and, of course, Streep.

But, as credible and fine-tuned as it is, Streep's less-intimidating characterization doesn't quite have the teeth it needs; and Hathaway is hardly overweight and homely.

Moreover, the movie's satiric element is so thin that it is practically non-existent. Early in the story, Streep gives Hathaway a lecture on the dignity and importance of the fashion industry, and from then on the film treats the business as if it's as vital as firefighting or cancer research. So the morality tale makes no sense.

The "Devil" grossed more than $100 million, attracting an adult audience during the season of teen action and horror films.

The DVD is accessorized by 15 deleted scenes, commentary from director David Frankel and some of his collaborators, and a handful of behind-the-scenes featurettes. 109 minutes. Rated PG-13 for some sensuality. (William Arnold)

GRADE: B