| Overall Grade: |
B |
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| Story: |
B |
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| Acting: |
A- |
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| Direction: |
B- |
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| Visuals: |
B+ |
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Streep is Brilliant in Enjoyable Film
by Jersey Joe (movies profile)
Nov 5, 2007
10
of
10 people found this review helpful
I know, I know, "Streep is brilliant" isn't saying much any more. But she is brilliant in her role as Miranda Priestly, editor in chief of America's number one fashion magazine. She is cold, mean and unforgiving and yet still human. This role could have easily been mailed in as a simplistic Cruela De Vil type performance. There was nothing over the top going on as Meryl Streep played a very demanding, yet low key, boss.
Streep's performance aside, I wasn't sure I was going to like this film. The rest of the story wreaked of a formaula film. Anne Hathaway's character is part ugly duckling and part losing touch with her real self. We've seen that before, but it still works in this film. Hathaway is likable but not perfect, she is intelligent but still vulnerable to her weaknesses. Yes, there are aspects of the story that follow a formula, but the performances let us forgive the jealous lifer of a co-worker and the best friends and love interest who are left out of the star's new demanding life.
Part of why this film works is in its outsider's peek into the world of fashion. Like many of us might, Hathaway finds the fashion world silly and without meaning. Streep makes her, and us, understand why what she does matters to everyone. It is very intelligent and helps make the rest of the film matter.
As I said, Streep is brilliant; Hathaway works as our eyes and ears into this strange world and Stanley Tucci is great as Hathaway's fashion mentor. The rest of the cast gives the film its formulaic feel at times.
I recommend this film as an intelligent and watchable foray into a world that is often awed or mocked and for those seeing another great performance by Meryl Streep. |
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