The Mosley Review: The Devil Wears Prada 2

Like the shifting winds of Santa Ana, a change may have actually arrived. I always go into sequels to a very popular film, released 20 years ago, very cautiously because of the spotty track record. It could be a sequel that serves no purpose than to line the pockets of studio heads or a story that advances the characters and builds upon what made the original great. Welp, this was one of those rare occurrences where a sequel was warranted and it avoided the typical pitfalls others willingly dove into in. The member berries are unavoidable, but thankfully they didn't rule the story. This film felt more like a fun high school reunion where everyone is wiser and evolved while some still remain the slick and unlikely friend you truly missed. The spirit and heart of the first film was lovingly retained and I found myself sinking back into the world of high fashion and stress these unforgettable characters live for.

Anne Hathaway returns as as Andrea "Andy" Sachs and she excels at bringing back that loveable and plucky attitude the character is known for. She has truly become a strong and respected journalist and I loved that she never gave up her will to strive for the best. There is a hardship that is thrust upon her that is topical and is currently effecting every industry today. Anne has this unique charm and emotional awareness to keep the character grounded and I loved that she didn't allow her character to regress. Tracie Thoms returns as Andy's longtime friend, Lily and she doesn't skip a beat. We all have that one friend that has been with us through the majority of our lives and has kept us leveled. Lily is that friend and I loved the fun back and forth with them. Lucy Liu was cool as Sasha Barnes and I loved that even though she may be one of the richest women in the film, she didn't let it control her. I liked Patrick Brammall as Peter and Andy's new love interest. Their story doesn't overtake the overall narrative, but its that fun instant rom-com chemistry that is almost non-existent these days that wonderfully fueled their scenes. Emily Blunt was fantastic yet again as Emily Charlton. To see her finally in an executive role at Dior, was delightful and she never ceased to have that cutthroat and sarcastic humor. The moment her and Andy reunite, there is a bond there that is kismet. How they explore their friendship is devious at times, but never spiteful. Stanley Tucci is still one of the greatest and smartest actors out there and his return to Nigel Kipling was sorely missed. He continues to be that perfectly honest and charming pulse of the fashion world and friend to Andy you love to see. He retains his indestructible wit, charm and heartwarming devotion to doing the best for those he cares about. The chemistry between him and Andy was the major highlight of the first film and it's even more so here. The one and only Meryl Streep returns as the iconic and devilish director of Runway Magazine, Miranda Priestly. Her same cold, brash and unforgiving personality is still wholly intact and I loved that she is brought to task as she faces the current social climate in her own way and doesn't compromise. We got to see a few slivers of her humanity in the first film and now a little more than half of her mystique dissipates as Andy comeback to help her. Meryl always delivers and I genuinely could feel the fun and joy radiating from her as she inhabits Miranda once again. I've always thought of Nigel and Emily as living manifestations of her sarcastic and stylistic business driven self. Andrea represented that young, spunky and warm side of herself that she completely forgotten. That's why their chemistry works the best and it sores to new levels in this film. All of them together were the reason you came to see the film and they don't disappoint.

The score by returning composer Theodore Shapiro was just as fun and warm as you'd expect. The memorable themes all return once we get back to Runway and I loved his score the most in the more intimate moments with Nigel and Miranda. The visuals were the most important in this film since we're in the world of fashion and the film was beautiful, but a bit inconsistent. The colors are there, but for the most part there is that pesky shade of gray in the color correction that clashes with everything. I'm not a fashionova, but that bothered me as too many films are afraid to have true color or darkness in their cinematography anymore. Overall, I was impressed by the quality of the storytelling and large amount of heart the film had. Its the hardest thing making a sequel to a film 20 years later and I was glad to see the original team return and knock it out of the park. If you loved the original, then you're gonna love this. Let me know what you thought of the film or my review in the comments below. Thanks for reading!