When it comes to casting, The Devil Wears Prada really delivers.
This crowd-pleasing delight stars Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, and Meryl Streep, and it's hard
to top that.
Stiil, there's a lot of strange things that everyone ignores in this film.
All these years later, we're still waiting for answers.
As Andy is about to be interviewed for the job of Miranda Priestly's assistant, Emily
tells her:
"A million girls would kill for this job!"
We hear this mantra several times throughout the film:
"I bet a million girls would kill for that job."
"A million girls would kill for that job."
That's because Miranda is a living legend in the fashion industry.
Wherever she goes, she's respected and feared — and it's all because of her keen eye and
shrewd sense of style.
Obviously, working for such a powerhouse could open a lot of doors, particularly if you wanted
to make it in the fashion industry.
But at the beginning of the film, Andy doesn't want to make it in the fashion industry — so
it's rather odd that Priestly hires her.
The competition must have been fierce, and full of candidates with tons of experience
and a real eye for fashion.
"You have no style.
Or a sense of fashion."
"Well, um…
I think that depends on…"
"No, no."
That wasn't a question, Andy.
In those early scenes, our heroine doesn't really know anything about fashion at all,
and she certainly doesn't want to work in fashion.
"Okay, can you please spell 'Gabbana'?"
Ultimately, Andy becomes quite adept at the job, but we can't help but wonder whether
there was a stronger candidate out there somewhere.
One of the best scenes in The Devil Wears Prada is the famous "cerulean" speech.
After Andy dismissively laughs about a pair of belts that look the same, Miranda really
lays into her.
"What you don't know is that sweater is not just 'blue'... it's not turquoise… it's
not lapis… it's actually cerulean."
Andy seems to be affected by Miranda's monologue.
She eventually comes to realize she needs a bit of guidance in the fashion department,
so she turns to Nigel for assistance.
"You think this is just a magazine?
This is not just a magazine.
This is a shining beacon of hope."
In a brief scene, he gives Andy a bunch of designer clothes and accessories.
That seems to be all it takes to totally transform her.
The next time we see Andy, she's dressed to the nines — and she's slaying so hard, it
makes Emily jealous.
For the rest of the movie, she's a total fashion plate — even when she's sad.
But how did just a few minutes with Nigel suddenly turn her into an unstoppable clotheshorse?
Is that really all it takes?
Obviously Nate is Andy's main love interest, but she's also charmed by a handsome, successful
writer named Christian.
It's obviously he's interested in Andy from the very beginning, and he's not shy about
it, either.
"I, actually…
I reviewed your collection of essays from my college newspaper."
"Did you mention my good looks, my killer charm?"
They wind up sleeping together in Paris while Andy and Nate are on a break... but Andy walks
out on him when she discovers he's part of a dastardly scheme to replace Miranda at Runway.
"And she's bringing me in to run all the editorial content.
You're really surprised?"
But while plenty of viewers have aligned themselves with Team Christian, he's far from Mr. Perfect.
In fact, if we're being honest, he's actually something of a mega-creep.
Like, he hits on Andy every time he sees her, even though he knows she's in a relationship.
Yeah, that's something wack people do.
Also: While they're kissing in Paris, Andy tries to explain to Christian why she can't
be physical with him.
And one of those reasons is... she's drunk.
Well, he totally ignores that comment… which is decidedly not cool, to say the least.
Okay, so what would you do if your partner suddenly landed a high-powered dream job?
The position could potentially open all sorts of doors for them, but it means your honey
will basically be working around the clock.
You'd probably be supportive, right?
Maybe you'd be willing to make a few sacrifices along the way to help them grow professionally?
Sure, it would suck if they missed your birthday… but you could handle it, right?
Well, not Nate.
All he does is complain about Andy's job, imploring her to quit and giving her grief
when she has to work late.
He spends an inordinate amount of time telling her how much she's changed.
He couldn't just let her have this?
For one year?
In April 2019, screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna defended Nate, telling Teen Vogue:
"She's being a hypocrite, and he's right at the end.
She goes to apologize to him because he was right.
She was selling herself out and going down the wrong path."
Ok, fair enough.
But Nate was such a little crybaby about his birthday.
"Don't worry about it.
I'm going to bed."
Jeez, everyone gets born, Nate.
Get over it.
Let's face it: Living in Manhattan ain't cheap.
It wasn't cheap in 2006 — the year The Devil Wears Prada was released — and it definitely
isn't cheap now.
The rents are through the roof, even for the smallest fleabag apartment you can imagine.
This begs the question: How on Earth did Andy and Nate afford that palatial apartment?
It's a mystery.
Nate is a chef, and Andy is a recent college graduate, so it doesn't seem very realistic
that they'd be living a life of luxury.
Are their parents paying the rent every month?
Andy's dad does hand her an envelope full of money during that dinner scene, so maybe
that's what's going on.
Sorry, but we just don't see how a young couple could pay for this place on their own, and
it's never explained anywhere in the film.
Andy and her boyfriend Nate have a pair of friends, and they love to tease Andy about
her job.
Actually, they taunt her.
Really, it's rather hypocritical of them… because they don't seem particularly happy
with their careers.
In one particularly cruel scene, Andy's friends — and Nate — play a game of keep-away
with her cell phone while it's ringing, which is basically putting Andy's job in jeopardy.
By the time she's able to answer the call, she's absolutely frantic… and her friends
just can't believe how seriously she's taking her job.
Can't they see she's got a real opportunity here?
Meanwhile, they're more than happy to snatch up any designer accessories that Andy brings
home from work.
“Oh my god!
This is the new Marc Jacobs!
This is sold out everywhere!
Where did you get this?"
Well, they clearly have no problem enjoying the perks of Andy's career.
Still, they refuse to be supportive.
What is wrong with these people?
Remember when Miranda asks Andy to find a book for her kids?
"I need the new Harry Potter book for the twins."
"Ok, ok, I'll go down to Barnes & Nobles right now."
"Did you fall down and smack your little head on the pavement?"
That's right — her kids want to read the latest Harry Potter novel, even though it
hasn't been published yet.
Andy barely has any time to track it down -- and the stakes couldn't be higher.
"Oh, and if you don't have that Harry Potter book by then, don't even bother coming back."
As it turns out, Christian eventually helps her find a copy of the unpublished manuscript
— because he apparently knows the person who designed the cover art.
But how realistic is this, really?
There were some serious security measures in place to prevent the seventh book, Harry
Potter and the Deathly Hallows, from being read before its scheduled release date.
Barnes & Noble reportedly stored the books in an undisclosed location and had security
guarding them 24/7.
According to Reuters,
"Trucks carrying books from warehouses to shops [were] fitted with satellite tracking
systems to ensure they [stuck] to assigned routes, while pallets of books [were] fitted
with alarms."
That's a lot of safeguarding!
Just how connected is Christian, exactly?
Is he a wizard himself?
So many questions, lamentably few answers.
We get it.
Working for someone like Miranda can be challenging.
She's exceedingly demanding, she never says thank you, and she's often extremely condescending.
Take that scene where Miranda orders Andy to fetch her lunch.
"And I would like my steak here in 15 minutes."
"No problem!"
After Andy bends over backwards to ensure her lunch is ready on time, Miranda asks:
"What's that?
Oh, I don't want that.
I'm having lunch with Irv.
I'll be back at 3."
Obviously, Andy gets frustrated.
So frustrated that she tosses the entire tray of steak into the sink and smashes it!
Girl, what are you doing?
That steak cost a lot of money, so why did you waste it?
Save it for Nate if you don't want it.
Save it for us.
And don't get us started on that scene where Andy just throws her cell phone into a fountain
at the end of the film.
What a waste.
Plus, she's visiting Paris!
Is that really the time to throw your phone away?
Sure, it's great that she got her life back and all… but what was she thinking?
If you've ever been to Manhattan, you may have noticed that a lot of people jaywalk.
But that doesn't excuse the fact that none of the characters in this film know how to
cross the street.
For one thing, Andy is frequently running around maniacally and not looking where she's
going.
She's so busy talking on her phone and running errands, her street smarts just go right out
the window!
No wonder Emily winds up getting hit by a car after running out into the street.
That, of course, lands her in the hospital, covered with scrapes and bruises.
Sure, these people know how to dress, but why don't they know how to look both ways
before crossing the street?
One great thing about Nate: He's a chef, which means he can whip up some delicious meals
on the fly at home… in theory, anyway.
Although he complains about the grocery store prices in New York, he does come through when
it's time to make dinner for Andy… which has to be nice after a long day's work.
But in one scene, Nate cooks a grilled cheese sandwich for Andy, and then says something
that sounds a lot like whining.
After she refuses to eat it because of calorie concerns, an irritated Nate says:
"Gimme that!
There's like eight dollars worth of Jarlsberg in there."
Well, for one thing, that sandwich looks astonishingly burnt — especially since it was supposedly
whipped up by a professional chef.
Plus, in 2019, a pound of Jarlsberg costs around 17 bucks.
By our calculations, $8 of Jarlsberg… uhhhh… it's just a lot of cheese for one sandwich,
okay?
Maybe we're being a little nitpicky here… but maybe not.
There's no question that Andy's job is insanely demanding.
She has to cater to Miranda's every whim, know all her contacts, and share incoming
communication efficiently.
Eventually, she's placed in charge of bringing Miranda her book at the end of the day, and
she regularly works long hours.
Her cell phone never stops ringing.
The job is a serious grind.
But what did she expect, working at an A-list publication?
It's no secret that working for a magazine like Runway is non-stop stress.
Think about all the money involved.
Think about all the people involved.
But Andy's not exactly thankful for this rare opportunity.
All she does is complain.
"They call them clackers.
The sound that their stilettos make in the marble lobby.
It's like clack clack clack clack clack."
Granted, her boss isn't one to acknowledge a job well done.
But, as intimidating as Miranda is, there's a lot of pressure on her, too.
No wonder her assistants are always busy.
In the world of The Devil Wears Prada, it seems like being thin is always in.
Not a big surprise for a film set in the fashion industry.
And in most cases, this is played for laughs:
"I'm on this new diet.
It's very effective.
Well, I don't eat anything, and when feel like I'm about to faint, I eat a cube of cheese."
And what about this line?
"I'm just one stomach flu from my goal weight."
It's funny… but it's also rather disturbing.
Andy has a healthy body image and a normal appetite when she starts the job.
But slowly, her attitude starts to change.
Oh, and what about when Nigel throws Andy's corn chowder away?
That's not a good look … is it?
Meanwhile, Miranda says things like this to Andy:
"I said to myself, go ahead.
Take a chance.
Hire the smart, fat girl."
Troubling, to say the least.
Let's say you apply for a job at a prestigious magazine.
You're lucky enough to get a phone interview, followed by a coveted in-person interview.
Don't you think you might hop on the Internet and do a bit of research to prepare?
You'd almost definitely familiarize yourself with the publication, and you'd probably find
out who the editor-in-chief is, right?
But no… not Andy.
"Who's Miranda?"
"Oh my god, I will pretend you did not just ask me that.
She's the Editor-in-Chief of Runway, not to mention a legend."
She happily admits she's never cracked open a single issue of the magazine.
All she knows is that she really wants to be a journalist and boom… job offer.
Of course, Miranda is based on Anna Wintour — an extremely well-known personality both
inside and outside of fashion circles.
How could someone go to journalism school and not know who she is?
"That's all."
"Okay."
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