If you missed The Devil Wears Prada 2 in theatres during its theatrical run, do not worry! Very soon, it’ll be on Disney+ and you will have a wonderful film to watch from the comfort of your own home in the warmest of your pyjamas and with the sweetest of ice cream.
Surprising audiences, The Devil Wears Prada (2009) sequel was a wonderful continuation of its predecessor. Critically, it’s rated better on both IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes, although I think the critics are getting a little ahead of themselves. This movie is a fantastic sequel, delving deeper into the fashion world with a more introspective approach, allowing audiences to grow alongside Andy as they explore the realities of fashion journalism.
Despite the 20-year (yes, 20 full years) time skip, we’re thrust back into the offices of Runway Magazine, grappling with this new truth about Miranda Priestly; she’s not as powerful as she projects to be. We revive the sentiment that she is still stuck at the whims of finance bros, more interested in the depths of their weighted pockets than the strength and impact of reliable fashion sources. Thankfully, this time Andy doesn’t need to spend the full runtime trying to win Miranda’s respect; instead, she receives it a little over halfway. Jokes aside, this movie explores the intricacies and expansiveness of the fashion industry more deeply than the first film.
Story-wise, it falls a little weaker; however, I don’t think this movie was intended to be a ground-breaking narrative. It does not in any way relate to the book series the way the first film did. It’s a little obvious that The Devil Wears Prada 2 was more for the cast and crew to relive this world and its characters than for audiences to get a second film. The main cast of Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, Stanley Tucci, and Anne Hathaway return for an exciting performance, as well as the original director, David Frankel, and screenwriters Aline Brosh McKenna and Lauren Weisberger. Joining the ensemble, Simone Ashley, Caleb Hearon, and Justin Theroux give fantastic performances throughout and look stunning while doing so. Especially now, this time, the film was supported by major fashion houses like Chanel and Dior, with Anna Wintour herself backing the project.
Frankly, I don’t think this film needed a sequel because the first one closed it off perfectly. Absolutely no montage ever beats Andy cycling through amazing, iconic outfits on the streets of New York. Similarly, the looks in this film don’t hold a candle to the original’s, but that’s more because the 2020s don’t have the same unique fashion iconography as 2006 did. That’s not the film’s fault. And while a lot of audiences were paralysed by the fear of losing the warm look of the film, as most movies nowadays seem washed out and too commercial, the quality of this film makes you forget that. It’s still as vibrant as ever. The actors are still styled perfectly. The story is ultimately compelling, and you root for the same characters you grew up with. As much as I dislike sequels, this one did a pretty good job, despite everything.
It truly does have something for everyone. Andy gets a romantic storyline. There is opportunity for gritty film nerds to reflect on the reality of journalism in our socioeconomic decline. Misandrists can all rejoice when the annoying villain loses to his ex-wife. My mum passed on her love for romcoms to me, and I watched this film with her on Mother’s Day. It truly was a wonderfully fun and warm experience. It’ll never be the original, but no one ever asked it to be, and for that, it surpasses expectations.
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