It’s been 20 years since we’ve seen the crew of Runway magazine on the big screen. The characters who sent The Devil Wears Prada into rarified levels of popularity and money-making way back in 2006 are that much older and part of our distant and unrefreshed memories. So maybe I should not have been surprised that our reunion in the sequel, The Devil Wears Prada 2, began awkwardly—clunky dialog, stilted delivery—the early scenes of reintroduction were disappointingly ungainly. But Prada 2 might be compared to an aging fashion model’s last trip down the runway, the entrance may be less crisp than in days past but once in the full light and sound of the catwalk, the strut comes back.
Prada 2’s tepid start is all about reassembling the ol’ team and then trying to make us remember how much we liked this bunch: Ann Hathaway’s optimistic but conflicted Andy returns, oddly, to the Runway after being laid off by her shrinking newspaper; Nigel (Stanley Tucci) is still playing second fiddle to Meryl Streep’s ruthless Miranda Priestly; and frenetic Emily (Emily Blunt) is now a senior exec at Dior and remains very interested in herself. The early scenes are heavy with lines from and nods to the 2006 film. Alas, I had begun to steel myself, in my theater luxury recliner, for a nigh two-hour rehash of what had come before—then the new film separated itself from the old.
The main change in Prada 2 is a role reversal. Turns out there’s a new devil this go around… and it doesn’t wear Prada. Twenty years have significantly altered the Devil/Prada landscape. Print media is failing. Awareness of what style is in or out is now communicated through clicks and learned from TikTok. The old fashion-guard is being pressured and replaced by big tech and big corporations with their executive teams focused more on bottom lines than hem length. Odd tech billionaires and their suited minions are the devil now. The high-and-mighty Miranda Pierce has been defanged to a degree, forced to recognize a new power and where the new money comes from; and forced to concede that she will need the help of others to maintain the little space that is left for her.
This switcheroo is an easy vehicle to propel the film along but it’s not that interesting. The real fun of the film, the thing that makes it worth watching is, once again, the well-played characters—our old friends.
The film and cast finally hit stride when we all return to Italy for Milan Fashion Week. Our posse swaggers through a grand entrance to the event looking really, really good. Madonna’s Vogue blasts forth, once again, as the party starts (the old). Then Lady Gaga appears with a different anthem (the new). The lights flash, the models walk, important people connive… and were cruising.
Prada 2 is by no measure a great work. But it is, at last, fun. The mashing of old and new is not without kinks and stumbles and contrivances to tolerate. But the sweet reunion with old friends is well worth the small sorrows that come with it. 7 out of 10.
No comments:
Post a Comment