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For years, Tom Cruise seemed to make films based on a singular formula: a cocky protagonist has a great fall and recovers to triumph.  Anne Hathaway also seems to be attracted to a formula: an ugly duckling transformed into a lovely swan and along the way, finds herself.  Of course, Anne Hathaway as an ugly duckling is about as credible as the films based on Sandra Bullock or Meg Ryan’s characters having trouble finding a date.  Let’s just say that in The Devil Wears Prada, Ms. Hathaway is transformed from an unfashionable lovely swan to a fashionable lovely swan.  Oh, and along the way, she finds herself.

The catalyst for this remarkable transformation is the deliciously tart Meryl Streep playing the despicably nasty Miranda Priestly.  Miranda is the Editor in Chief of “Runway,” the single most influential fashion magazine on the planet, and as such, she’s one of the single most influential people in the fashion world.  She lives, eats, and sleeps fashion, surrounded by ambitious designers, hangers-on, and gorgeous people too thin to survive a harsh winter.  So when size-6 Andrea Sachs (Anne Hathaway) walks into her office for an interview dressed for a third period English Literature class, Miranda immediately diminishes her. 

But don’t count our spunky Andy out.  She just graduated Northwestern, came to New York to become a serious journalist, and out of desperation had to apply for an assistant to an assistant position.  Andy’s lack of awareness of Miranda’s status works in her favor; her ignorance is not only bliss, but it bolsters her confidence.  Unimpressed by the fawning that surrounds her, she speaks her mind and walks away.  And that does impress.  Before you can say Donna Karen, Andy is reporting to the ambitious and self-important Emily (Emily Blunt), Miranda’s executive assistant.

For Andy, this is a cultural shock.  She finds herself in an environment where fashion is worshipped, size-0 is the new size-2, and size-6 is the new size-12.  She is the quintessential fish out of water.  Nigel (Stanley Tucci in a wonderfully biting role) takes pity; with his help, Andy slowly transforms into a well-dressed, well- coiffed, sophisticate who turns heads.  Even Emily and Miranda notice.  Andy ultimately replaces Emily to be whisked off to Paris to support Miranda during a Spring Fashion Week of important showings.  But as Andy becomes more successful, she drifts apart from her friends and her boyfriend, Nate (Adrian Grenier).  She’s finding success, but she feels like she’s torn between two lives.

The Devil Wears Prada was adapted for the screen by Aline Brosh McKenna from the New York Time best-selling novel by Lauren Weisberger.  It smacks of dry wit and biting barbs that consistently amuse.  No fewer than three main characters have a significant emotional arc, each of which is satisfying and credible.  I have seen Meryl Streep in many roles, and that she’s been recognized by her peers for her work is an understatement.  I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed one of her performances more than this one.  Anne Hathaway continues to develop as a fine young actress.  As I mentioned in my review of Havoc, she has broken free of the G-rated image and the G- rated roles that seem to have her typecast.  Stanley Tucci must also be singled out for a witty and subtle performance. 

I so very much more enjoy wit to buffoonery and scathing words to slapstick. 

The Video: How Does The Disc Look?

The film’s theatrical aspect ratio of 2.35:1 is presented in a nice anamorphic video transfer.  Small object detail remains intact throughout the film, but finely grained textures could have been better.  The overall impression is slightly soft.  You’ll also find low amplitude, moderately thick edge halos.  On the plus side, color accuracy based on skin tones is excellent.  Vivid colors are painted to the screen without smearing or chroma noise.  The video dynamic range is also excellent, with deep blacks blending into the letterbox bars above and below the film frame.  I noticed no crush on either end of the dynamic range.  Nor did I notice any mosquito noise of macroblocking.

The Audio: How Does The Disc Sound?

This is a dialog-driven film and, as such, it is predominantly front-centric.  The sound designers didn’t even bother to immerse the viewer in restaurant sounds when Andy meets her father or her friends for a dinner of a late night snack.  The sound effects simply serve the onscreen images without drawing attention to themselves.  Bass is represented by Theodore Shapiro’s appropriate orchestral score and source tracks.  The orchestra recording comports itself well, with a broad soundstage and pleasing fidelity.  The all-important dialog is crystal clear throughout.

The alternate languages are in Spanish and French, both presented in Dolby Surround 2.0.  Subtitles are in Spanish and English, for which Closed Captions are included.

Supplements: What Goodies Are There?

We begin with a commentary by director David Frankel, producer Wendy Finerman, costume deisgner Patricia Field, screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna, film editor Mark Livolsi, and cinematographer Florian Ballhaus.  This is a very chatty group.  They offer many anecdotes from the shoot.  Cameos are noted.  Locations are described.  A bit too much time is spent talking about the fashions that run through the film.  We get a feel for the reality of the fashion industry and the influence of the press.  This commentary is a cut above.  With so many participants, there is less a tendency to fall back on trivia or narrate onscreen action and character motivation.  Nicely done.

You’ll find five featurettes, all with extensive excerpts from the film.  Alas, there is no Play All option.  In The Trip to the Big Screen (12:02), the director, producer, and the screenwriter explore the development of the script and a tone that satisfied everyone.  It was interesting to learn how the emotional content and the approach to the fashion industry were manipulated to create an appealing film.

NYC and Fashion (6:25) sends the same message as Sex in the City, a series to which the director also made contributions.  The point?  You are judged by your clothes, and in NYC in particular.  I’m not convinced that all groups impose those harsh standards, but I can remember reading John T. Molloy's Dress for Success early in my professional career and it served me very well (the book has since been replaced by John T. Molloy's New Dress for Success).

Fashion Visonary Patricia Field (8:45) is a tribute to the costume designer.  After a short autobiographical segment, we learn how she made the transition to film.  I think her hair is the new red.
 
Getting Valentino (2:53) focuses on obtaining an agreement from the famous designer to make a cameo in the film and the impact his participation had on the way the film was perceived.

At first, I thought The Boss From Hell (2:36) was going to be a simple EPK piece, but it turned out to be rather droll.  It’s punctuated by people offering anecdotes about their particular bosses from hell.

There are fifteen deleted scenes that run an aggregate 21:35 when you use the handy Play All option.  Every scene has merit.  They are all well written, well shot, and well acted.  They were excised from the theatrical cut for pace and to help confine the film to the fundamental storylines, as is conformed in the optional commentary by the director and editor. 

The Gag Reel (5:09) is good for a giggle or two; you might even laugh out loud.  You’ll be pleased to know that the coltish Anne is still a bit of a klutz.

Trailers and TV Spots includes: The Devil Wears Prada (2:56); The Illusionist (2:29); In Her Shoes (0:33); The Family Stone (0:34); and The Devil Wears Prada soundtrack (0:19).

Exclusive DVD- ROM Features: What happens when you pop the disc into your PC?

None are included on this disc.