In ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2,’ Andy Sachs and Miranda Priestly reunite to revive the dying Runway magazine. The film has some brief, harsh language. Fashion choices aren’t always modest. And divorce is discussed with unnerving nonchalance. But for discerning viewers, it could be good, nostalgic fun.
When Andy Sachs first went to work for Miranda Priestly at Runway magazine 20 years ago, she wasn’t sure what to expect from the devilish editor-in-chief. She’d been warned that Miranda was harsh and demanding, but she’d also heard that a recommendation from New York’s “dragon lady” would pretty much guarantee Andy a job at any publication in the city.
Andy’s brief stint as Miranda’s assistant wasn’t easy. She didn’t click with her sample-size colleagues, who called her “fat” and ridiculed her fashion sense—or lack thereof. Miranda barked orders at Andy (sometimes reducing Andy to tears) and tasked her with impossible assignments, such as getting a preview copy of the latest Harry Potter book for her twins.
But Andy endured. She perhaps even impressed Miranda—though it can be hard to tell from the “snow queen’s” icy demeanor. And Andy indeed went on to work for some of New York’s finest magazines and newspapers.
Now, Andy is a successful journalist. She’s even up for some writing awards. Unfortunately, the world of print journalism has changed quite a bit in the last 20 years.
For starters, it’s no longer print. Everything Andy writes gets posted online. Getting advertisers and subscribers to support publications is more difficult than ever.
So just as Andy stands to accept a prestigious award for her talents, she receives a text informing her that she and her colleagues at the Vanguard have been fired, since the paper just wasn’t making enough money to justify keeping it around.
Things aren’t looking much better for Miranda at Runway. It seems that the company’s human resources department finally caught up to her. She’s not allowed to insult and belittle her employees anymore—and she’s required to learn their names, now, too. She must hang up her own coat instead of tossing it at her assistants. And although she was promised a promotion recently, that’s been put on hold after she greenlit a glowing review of a brand that turned out to be a front for a sweatshop. Miranda’s future—indeed, the future of Runway itself—is in flux.
Fortunately, Miranda’s boss thinks he may have a solution: After watching a video of Andy giving an impassioned speech about the integrity of journalism, he hires her as Runway’s new features editor. He believes that Andy’s reporting mixed with Miranda’s experience could help the fashion magazine establish some much-needed credibility.
Unfortunately, Miranda is none too enthused about the idea. It’s not that she doesn’t like Andy—in fact, she seems to scarcely remember her former assistant—but Miranda prefers to do things her own way. She’s usually 10 steps ahead of anyone scheming against her, so this sudden appointment takes her by surprise.
Miranda, to her employees and certainly to Andy, just may be the devil wearing Prada—and you know what they say about “hell hath no fury …”
When Andy is let go from the Vanguard, she worries more for her coworkers than she does for herself. She even offers to help a few of them find work so they can make ends meet. And she stands out as someone who prefers to build people up—even horrible people like Miranda—rather than tear them down.
Miranda’s husband is loving and supportive. Miranda, who has had difficulty maintaining relationships in the past due to her commitment to her career, seems to truly appreciate the sacrifices he has made for her.
A few characters put aside old grudges to form new friendships. A few people apologize for their past mistakes and take steps to make amends with those they wronged. Friends support and encourage one another.
Miranda isn’t blind to her many faults. She knows that her career has taken its toll on her relationships, particularly those with her children and husband. She has continued working because she loves her job, but she offers a cautionary note to anyone who would follow in her footsteps, emphasizing that they should know the cost.
Someone likens an interview to the Holy Grail. Someone else says that Runway is like a religion to many people.
People frequently discuss divorce in a nonchalant manner. In the fashion industry, it appears, it’s not if one gets divorced, it’s when.
One woman has avoided interviews with the press because she doesn’t want to answer questions about her recent (and public) divorce. Miranda (who has been through several highly publicized divorces of her own) is sympathetic, telling the woman that she shouldn’t be defined by her ex-husband. The woman enthusiastically agrees, proudly stating that she won’t be defined by her new husband either (revealing that she’s engaged to someone new).
Andy passionately kisses a man whom she’s dating. A woman slaps her boyfriend’s hand away when he greets her by trying to grab her rear, and he jokes that it’s how he says hello. Andy confesses to a friend that while she has slept with a couple of former colleagues, she never did so to boost her career.
A gaggle of influencers poses for pictures and videos. One of them appears to be trans.
Some of the fashion designs we see on runways show quite a bit of skin. Indeed, in one show, the models appear to be wearing lingerie-inspired garb. Andy and many other women wear cleavage-baring outfits as well. We see a woman in a towel from the shoulders up.
Miranda makes a sarcastic remark about suicide. When someone tells her she can’t say that, she defends that she wasn’t talking about killing other people. Elsewhere, she makes an unkind joke about human trafficking.
A man collapses at a party, knocking over a table and breaking several dishes. Panicked onlookers perform CPR, but we later learn he died.
Two uses of the f-word and one of the s-word. We also hear uses of “a–,” “d–n,” “h—” and the British profanity “bloody.” God’s name is misused about a dozen times.
Characters drink alcohol at dinners, parties and other special occasions. It’s implied that one man may have previously struggled with drinking. There’s a casual discussion about steroids and weight-loss drugs. Miranda mentions a “methadone clinic.”
Miranda, known for her stinging sarcasm, has been effectively leashed by Runway’s HR department. Whenever she says something untoward (we hear disparaging remarks about weight, drug use and suicide), her assistant Amari corrects her, letting Miranda know what is and isn’t appropriate to say in a work setting. Miranda usually responds with an eyeroll. But sometimes she genuinely doesn’t know how to express herself without causing offense.
People purposely insult and offend others. Miranda, who is of an older generation, gets called a “relic” online. A few of the people who work at Runway say some unkind things about Andy’s style.
Emily, another of Miranda’s former assistants, is obsessed with appearances—particularly weight. She laments that many funeral-goers are wearing a rival brand’s clothing. Others in the fashion industry seem to be similarly out of touch with reality, growing upset when they’re asked to fly economy instead of first-class and to take rideshares instead of private cars.
When Andy gets hired, she’s unaware that someone else already holds her new title. Miranda tries to shame Andy into quitting by firing that person over the phone. She appears to not remember who Andy is—and it’s never clear whether she’s pretending or not.
People lie and manipulate, scheming to bolster their own careers—often at the expense of others. Management consultants advise a brand owner to simply fire anyone who has worked at the company for more than five years as a way to cut costs.
One of Miranda’s assistants asks his coworker to answer phones for him while he uses the bathroom (Miranda’s rules stipulate that the phone can never go unanswered or the person responsible will be fired), but the coworker refuses, implying that he should have thought about how much liquid he was consuming beforehand.
Divorced spouses are rude and inconsiderate toward each other.
When The Devil Wears Prada came out 20 years ago, it almost instantly became a hit with female audiences. Even women who weren’t that into fashion loved seeing all the clothes. They were entranced by Meryl Streep’s quietly cruel Miranda, Stanley Tucci’s sarcastically delightful Nigel and Emily Blunt’s desperately chic Emily. And they adored Anne Hathaway’s defiant, size-6 Andy Sachs.
If that’s what viewers loved about the original, then they’ll enjoy The Devil Wears Prada 2. Though perhaps not as biting or clever as the first film, it’s still good sentimental fun.
There’s certainly some content to consider: Language is generally infrequent, but there are two pointed uses of the f-word. The fashion we see can be revealing. And there seems to be an unhealthy nonchalance regarding divorce.
But this sequel tries to be kinder than its predecessor: It reins in Nigel’s unhinged remarks and Emily’s unhealthy eating habits. Andy proves to be a staid and supportive friend—even to those who try to tear her down. And even Miranda seems to learn how to trust those around her, how to be a team player at work and at home instead of running a one-woman show.
Many parents will still want to consider how such a film might impact their teen daughter’s view of the fashion industry—how it tends to be focused on outer beauty and casts disparity on anyone who (gasp) shops at thrift stores. However, for more mature viewers capable of discerning the film’s messages about friendship and encouragement, it could be a nostalgic romp.
Emily studied film and writing when she was in college. And when she isn’t being way too competitive while playing board games, she enjoys food, sleep, and geeking out with her husband indulging in their “nerdoms,” which is the collective fan cultures of everything they love, such as Star Wars, Star Trek, Stargate and Lord of the Rings.
