By: Lana K. Wilson-Combs
BACK IN STYLE: "THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA 2" IS A CHIC, ENTERTAINING SEQUEL
With the biopic
"Michael" lighting up the box office and
"The Devil Wears Prada 2" poised to do the same this weekend, it's shaping up to be an exciting summer movie season, one driven as much by nostalgia as it is by fresh storytelling.
Revisiting beloved characters after nearly two decades can be a risky move, but under the direction of
David Frankel, ("Jerry & Marge Go Large") and screenwriters
Aline Brosh McKenna ("Your Place or Mine") and
Lauren Weisberger ("The Devil Wears Prada 2"), the movie keeps what worked the first time and refreshes it for a faster, sharper, and far more unforgiving digital age.
Miranda Priestly (an excellent Meryl Streep, "Useful Idiots" and "Untitled Joni Mitchell Biopic"), Andrea "Andy" Sachs (a dynamic Anne Hathaway, "The Odyssey"), Emily Charlton (a wonderful Emily Blunt, "A Quiet Place 3"/"Oppenheimer"), and Nigel Kipling (a terrific Stanley Tucci, Masterplan"/"Conclave") are back and slip into their roles with effortless precision.
Time has changed them but not entirely softened them. Miranda (Streep) still rules "Runway" magazine with icy authority, though even she can't ignore the shifting tides of media, where digital dominance and public scrutiny threaten the very foundation of the publication. When a scandal involving a poorly vetted article sends "Runway" into a spiral of backlash, the solution comes in the form of a familiar face. It's Andrea "Andy" Sachs (Hathaway), now a seasoned journalist, reluctantly stepping back into a world she once left behind.
The film has fun reuniting its core characters while adding new complications and other personalities into the mix, notably Kenneth Branagh as Miranda's new husband, Stuart, and Miranda's new assistant Amari Mari (Simone Ashley, "F1: The Movie" and TV's "Bridgerton").
Andy's return isn't smooth and Miranda's motivations remain deliciously ambiguous. Their dynamic continues to crackle with tension, wit, and a hint of mutual respect.
Meanwhile, Emily (Blunt) has evolved into a high-powered presence in her own right. She is a senior executive at Dior and now entangled with Benji (Justin Theroux, TV's "Wild Things" ), a wildly eccentric and ultra-wealthy entrepreneur who injects a chaotic, over-the-top energy into the story. There's also a softer side to Andy's journey, particularly through her connection with a new love interest, Peter (Patrick Brammall, "The Dispatcher" and TV's "Evil”), grounding the film emotionally amid all the couture and corporate maneuvering.
Where the movie truly shines is in its style and spectacle. Streep looks absolutely stunning, commanding every scene with elegance and bite, while the fashion--unsurprisingly--steals the spotlight at every turn. You also don't have to look too hard to spot the parade of fashion icons and celebrities sprinkled throughout, from Donatella Versace and Marc Jacobs to Lady Gaga, Jon Batiste, NBA star Karl-Anthony Towns, and pro golf champion Rory McIlroy, all adding an extra layer of fun and authenticity.
From the glossy offices of New York to the breathtaking backdrops of Milan and Lake Como, the film is visually irresistible. The plot threads Andy's mission to restore Runway's credibility, including her pursuit of the elusive Sasha Barnes (Lucy Liu, "Rosemead" and "Old Guy"), a former icon with ties to both the fashion world and Benji's past.
What also makes "The Devil Wears Prada 2" resonate is its understanding of why the original worked: sharp dialogue, compelling relationships, and a peek behind the velvet curtain of an industry that's as ruthless as it is glamorous.
This sequel doesn't try to outdo the original, it builds on it, offering a story about reinvention, relevance, and the cost of staying on top. It's funny, stylish, and just self-aware enough to poke fun at itself while still delivering the kind of escapist entertainment audiences crave.
Editor's Note: Be sure to catch my N2Entertainment.net movie talk segment on the Kitty O'Neal Show Fridays at 5:17 p.m. and 6:47 p.m. on radio station KFBK 93.1 FM and 1530 AM.
Watch This Trailer For
"THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA 2"
Lana K. Wilson-Combs is a member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA), The American Film Institute (AFI), and a Nominating Committee Voting Member for the NAACP Image Awards.
