The Devil Wears Prada 2 Review
I truly loved the original The Devil Wears Prada when I got recommended to watch it a few years back. There was something about the angsty awkwardness of Anne Hathaway’s Andy and the sassy “girlboss”-ness of Meryl Streep’s Miranda that was unresistable. It might have been David Frankel’s lively direction, Aline Brosh McKenna’s witty writing, or the uncountable elegant dresses Nigel keeps at the office. Nonetheless, The Devil Wears Prada was incredibly grounded in the reality of the 2000s. Now, Frankel and McKenna seek to explore what that world looks like 20 years later in The Devil Wears Prada 2, with all the glamour and gall of today’s world.
Years after her time at Runway, Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway) is somewhat of a successful journalist. However, after her and her journalist friends are laid off, Andy’s back on the market to find a job. Things seemingly fall in place when she discovers that Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep) is struggling to fit Runway into the “digital town square.” Andy and Miranda’s reconnection faces several problems, from a troubling controversy to tech bros and the return of Emily (Emily Blunt). Yet, there’s nothing that can truly separate the two as these fashionistas set out to make an impact once again.
Given this premise, Frankel and McKenna make it clear that The Devil Wears Prada 2 is much more thematically complex. That opening scene where Andy and her colleagues win awards only to be laid off instantly hammers in the message that it wants to get across. The way that we approach media, and subsequently the way that news is collected and published, has changed, but there has to be a balance. The inspiring speech that Andy gives when she goes up on stage reinforces this fact, not only showing Andy’s refined confidence, but also her deep belief in journalistic integrity. She wants growth, but in her aspiration, she shows her desperation as well.
It’s almost poignant that McKenna’s script reshapes the Andy-Miranda dynamic into a two-sided coin. Whereas Andy and Miranda were different in their approach to beat-reporting in The Devil Wears Prada, this sequel explores the differences in their core values. The ways that Miranda gives into her “tech-bro” bosses are almost siren-like as she’s constantly trying to charm her way into their minds. There’s a few scenes where she tries to appeal to them and they almost work in making you feel sympathetic for her as her opinions are basically ignored. However, there’s one transformative scene that instantly grabs you because of how intense Streep actually gets. Streep’s performance shows that gravitas quite nicely, highlighting the cracks in her ego under the sass of it all.
As for Andy, Hathaway perfectly captures that emotional struggle Andy has because of her moral and financial problems. On one end, she wants to stick to her journalistic ethics, going so far as to get the interview of a lifetime with the elusive Sasha Barnes (Lucy Liu). On the other hand, she’s a bit opportunistic, which shows when Andy’s friend tries to get a book deal from her about Miranda’s pessimism. In her own hopes for getting Runway back to what it was, Andy’s not fully thought out actions ultimately hinder her own success, which Frankel and McKenna capture to a gratifying extent.
This is also shown when Andy’s inevitably reunited with Emily, now an executive at Dior with her own branding. Their relationship is still pretty fun to watch: as much as Emily “despises” Andy, the slight appreciation they have for each other within their rivalry carries weight. There’s a scene where Andy meets with Emily about Dior’s new flagship store that adds some sweetness as Emily gossips all about her family life. Their overall dynamic initially feels like a background storyline until this narrative intertwining reveals itself near the third act. From there, not only will you realize why this arc was developed slowly, but also leave you shocked.
Betwixed all the glitz of The Devil Wears Prada 2’s main story are some more stories involving Andy’s life. There’s her relationship with Nigel (Stanley Tucci), who also aspires for bigger things within Runway, and a new romance she finds with a real estate developer. Although the romantic parts of Andy’s story are somewhat superficial, her mentorship talks with Nigel balance out the worries with some much-needed inspiration. That said, the payoff of the Andy-Nigel dynamic almost felt too intentional in regards to how all this happened in the first place.
The other characters of The Devil Wears Prada 2 are mostly serviceable. There’s B. J. Novak, who’s basically corporate Ryan from The Office, and Justin Theroux, whose divorced character is an aspiring Robert House (from Fallout) without the philanthropic business acumen. Miranda’s new assistants, played by Simone Ashley and Caleb Hearon, slightly up the comedic factor between being reserved and being warm. Andy’s new assistant, Jin (Helen J. Shen), also gets some interactivity, but not that much as to build on her character.
The Devil Wears Prada 2 is a sharp, smart, and downright chic sequel that improves on the original in nearly every way. Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep, and the cast continue to stun thanks to a culturally relevant screenplay with a very timely message. This film truly caps off what Frankel and McKenna set out to do with the first film, leaving a fitting conclusion for where the real stars of Runway end up.
Rating: ★★★★☆
The Devil Wears Prada 2 releases in theaters on May 1.
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Christopher Gallardo is a freelance entertainment writer and critic. While not running The Reel Roller, Chris can be found writing reviews and breakdowns on all things films and TV. Outside of entertainment writing, he’s currently taking classes for a Bachelor’s of Science with a minor in Digital Media & Journalism. Plus, he loves Percy Jackson, animated films and shows, and Fallout! Follow Christopher on Instagram & X.