“The Devil Wears Prada”

Spoiler-Free Review

May 23, 2026 | Lisa Hatzenbeller

Anne Hathaway Holds the Entire Film Together

Anne Hathaway has the hardest job in the movie because she’s responsible for grounding all of the chaos happening around her. Andy Sachs could have easily become a generic audience-insert character, but Hathaway gives her enough insecurity, ambition, sarcasm, and vulnerability that she always feels authentic.

What makes Hathaway’s performance so effective is how gradually she handles Andy’s transformation throughout the film. The changes never feel forced or overly dramatic. Instead, Andy slowly becomes more confident, polished, and consumed by the world around her in ways that feel emotionally natural.

Even as Andy adapts to Miranda’s impossible standards, Hathaway continues letting moments of discomfort and uncertainty break through the surface. Andy’s struggle to balance ambition, identity, and validation gives the film far more emotional weight than a typical workplace comedy, especially for ADHD viewers who understand the exhausting pressure of constantly trying to “keep up.”

That balance keeps the movie from becoming superficial.

Meryl Streep Deserved Every Bit of the Praise

Meryl Streep’s Miranda Priestly remains one of the most memorable performances of the 2000s because she never turns the character into a parody. Miranda rarely raises her voice or loses composure, which somehow makes her even more intimidating.

Every quiet stare, disappointed pause, and icy correction lands with devastating precision. Streep understands that real power doesn’t need theatrics, and that restraint gives Miranda a presence that completely controls the movie whenever she enters a scene. It remains one of the best examples of how powerful restraint can be in a performance.

At the same time, the film smartly avoids making Miranda completely one-dimensional. There are small moments where the pressure, loneliness, and expectations surrounding her career begin to show through the armor.

Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci Quietly Steal the Film

Emily Blunt remains one of the movie’s biggest scene stealers. Her delivery is so sharp and emotionally exhausted at the same time that nearly every line lands perfectly. Whether she’s panicking over impossible demands or silently judging Andy across the office, Blunt gives the film some of its funniest and most memorable moments without ever feeling like she’s trying too hard to be the comedic standout.

Stanley Tucci brings a completely different energy to the film, and it’s exactly what the story needs once Andy gets pulled further into Miranda’s world. Tucci gives Nigel warmth, frustration, humor, and genuine emotional sincerity, which helps ground the movie whenever the fashion-industry chaos threatens to overpower everything else.

Together, Blunt and Tucci add personality and balance to nearly every scene they’re in. Their performances are a huge reason The Devil Wears Prada remains so endlessly entertaining and rewatchable nearly two decades later.

The Movie Feels More Relevant Now Than It Did in 2006

Watching the film now, what stands out most is how accurately it captured modern professional culture before most people were even talking about it. The movie understands how ambition can slowly blur into performance, where success starts becoming tied to validation, appearance, and survival rather than genuine fulfillment.

Final Thoughts

The fact that The Devil Wears Prada remains this entertaining, quotable, and culturally relevant 2 decades later says everything.

The performances still shine, the humor still lands, and the themes remain surprisingly sharp. While some supporting storylines feel thinner on rewatch, the film’s confidence and endlessly rewatchable energy make those flaws easy to overlook.

It may not fully explore every emotional thread, but it absolutely earns its reputation as a modern comedy classic. Few comedies from the 2000s have aged this well.

Awards History:

Academy Awards
• Lead Actress – Nominee – Meryl Streep
• Costume Design – Nominee – Patricia Field

BAFTA
• Lead Actress – Nominee – Meryl Streep
• Supporting Actress – Nominee – Emily Blunt
• Adapted Screenplay – Nominee – Aline Brosh McKenna
• Costume Design – Nominee – Patricia Field
• Makeup & Hair – Nominee – Nicki Ledermann and Angel De Angelis

Golden Globes
• Best Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical – Nominee
• Lead Actress – Comedy or Musical Winner – Meryl Streep
• Supporting Actress – Nominee – Emily Blunt

Critics Choice
• Best Comedy Movie – Nominee
• Lead Actress – Nominee – Meryl Streep

Actor Awards (formerly Screen Actors Guild)
• Lead Actress – Nominee – Meryl Streep

National Board of Review
• Top Ten Films