Does the devil still wear Prada? Yes, and she slays in it!
This fresh, authentic take provides a revival to the highly successful original, released back in 2006.
After many years of speculation and rumours over the past two decades, desperate fans, have finally been gifted a sequel.
I decided to go and watch the film at the Everyman Cinema on Blossom Street in York, where many excited fans where queuing to watch the new instalment.
It was delightful to see the return of all four main cast members; Meryl Streep (Miranda Priestly), Anne Hathaway (Andy Sachs), Emily Blunt (Emily Charlton) and Stanley Tucci (Nigel Kipling) to their roles.
All having aged liked fine wine, they were successful in rebrewing the energy of their characters, as if 20 years had not passed.
At the end of the first film we saw Andy Sachs’ abrupt departure as Miranda Priestly’s top assistant, ditching the role to pursue her dream of becoming a journalist.
Andy, now a devoted investigative journalist at the New York Vanguard, is unexpectedly laid off, with many of her colleagues at the newsroom, which leads to her grand return to Runway magazine as the new features editor.
This heart-warming reunion between Miranda, Andy and Miranda’s close confidante, Nigel Kipling, was a surreal and nostalgic moment for fans to watch.
A hilarious moment occurs when Miranda struggles to remember Andy at first glance. Nigel is still in the same position, as Miranda’s fiercely loyal deputy.
A big takeaway for me was the noticeable change in Miranda’s personality, less feisty, less energetic and maybe I’d go as far as saying slightly mellowed in her older age, showing clear signs of her vulnerability.
Miranda and Nigel, seem to be visibly struggling to navigate the transformation of the print magazine industry, trying to keep Runway, once a colossal, untouchable institution, relevant and alive in the digital age of endless TikTok scrolling, online accessibility and the era of cancel culture and political correctness.
As soon as Andy lands the new role within Runway, she is faced with the enormous task of saving Runway from total collapse and extinction in light of the changing industry and the streamlining it is experiencing.
It was refreshing to see the return of Emily Charlton, Miranda Priestly’s former top assistant, now leading the well-respected, high-end fashion house Dior, placed into a position of power and control.
The comedy Blunt provides in her character really strengthens the overall humour in the film, revisiting the stark rivalry between Andy and Emily which we saw in the original, going from archnemeses to a genuine friendship.
An unfortunate flaw was Andy’s bland, uninteresting romance with her new love interest, Peter, an Australian real estate businessman, played by Patrick Brammall. The chemistry between the two was virtually non-existent, as well the fact he looked pretty much old enough to be Andy’s dad.
One of the biggest moments in the film, was the close bond Miranda and Andy form once again towards the end of the film.
One of the key lines from Miranda to Andy being “In a world where everyone shouts and complains and whines and screws up and tries to cover up… there’s you. There’s always been you.” A poignant moment between the two.
Overall, this film was a joyful trip down memory lane, the chance to see these beloved characters once again, and enjoy the perfectly timed, hilarious one-liners and meaningful performances.
Devil Wears Prada 2 releases in cinemas on 1st May in UK.
As Miranda would famously say, that’s all…
