This one was a bit of a surprise. The trailer was its introduction…
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The rest of the movie runs this way in very linear storytelling style… Possibly mirroring the book of the same name, by Lauren Weisberger, which this movie was based on.
The tale is a typical Cinderella story… A small town girl (Anne Hathaway) dreams of becoming a journalist but ends up working as a personal assistant to the Editor-from-hell (Meryl Streep) of Runway magazine. From fashion dud to fashionista, from clumsy oaf to confident assistant, Hathaway’s character gets several memorable fashion changes… Some more beautiful than others…
Essentially, the movie makes serious commentary about the working world, the fashion business in this case, and how people do nasty things to others just to get ahead. Sometimes unwittingly, sometimes knowingly.
I was surprised to find the subtle messages coming across and couldn’t figure out why. Kay pointed out that the directors chose to tone down on the comedy, reducing the number of slapstick jokes and witty one-liners, so it no longer came across as a typical romantic comedy， but something with slightly sombre undertones.
Nice touch.
TBP Rating: Much better than your average bells & whistles Hollywood flick. Worth a $8.50 ticket (Her clothing changes are really amazing.)