Weekly Review -- Comedy week

The Devil Wears Prada (2006) -- It is a scientific fact that Meryl Streep would give an awesome performance if she were reading the phone book. The woman is a powerhouse of acting, and we see nothing less in her latest film, which is an intelligent story about success, goals and integrity. Fresh out of college, Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway) comes to New York in hopes of becoming a journalist. She soon scores a job for prestigious magazine "Runway" as an assistant for editor-in-chief and ice queen extraordinaire Miranda Priestly (Streep). Unfortunately, writing is 0 % of the work, since Andy's new job turns out to be a collection of neverending errands and impossible tasks for unforgiving Miranda, such as bringing the new Harry Potter book for her twins before it is published... well, before anyone has even seen the manuscript, really. Soon, Andy starts trying to blend into her fashion-conscious and rather shallow environment, which brings about clashes with her laid-back boyfriend and friends, as well as her own doubts about herself. The two leads both do an admirable job, creating a wonderful contrast between demanding Miranda and idealistic Andy. Hathaway holds her own with Streep, which says a lot. She is sweet, intelligent and charming as Andy, always doing a balancing act between pleasing her boss and sticking to her guns. Streep is terrific at showing all of Miranda's nuances, giving all her scenes with Hathaway a touch of certain warmth underneath the frost. I was occasionally annoyed with the characters of Andy's boyfriend and friends, though, since it seemed they had no understanding of Andy's job and the pressure she was under. The screenplay is good, although some lines do sound a bit preachy; still, it is a well written piece with excellent female characters. Overall, the film is an entertaining watch and clever story about the role of principles in our pursuit of happiness.

8/10