Overall I enjoyed this movie much more than I thought I would. Incredibly low expectations do allow for the occasional pleasant surprise. Perhaps it was because it was just a little bit less bland than your average cookie-cutter HW film. The characters seemed to have that something extra to draw you in and the Academy agreed by giving Meryl Streep a nod for how effectively she dripped with her cold and calculating corporate disdain. Another tribute to low standards?What is more interesting is how women are portrayed in this film. Stereotypical in all respects. Meryl Streep, as the head of Runway magazine, depicts the quintessential ruthless woman that loves the job more than her family and ends up in another divorce. In the one moment when she shoes remorse and emotion in the film, after learning her husband wants to leave her, she is still solely concerned with how she will be perceived in the tabloids. She then follows by selling out her friend and art director to keep her job. She tries to convince Anne Hathaway's character (actual name not important) that you have to be evil to stay ahead and despite lack of soul, "everyone wants to be us." Anne doesn't fall for it and the most character progression we get out of Steep's character is an ambiguous smirk and semi-positive letter of recommendation for Hathaway. I guess we are supposed to be happy that the badly dressed smart girl doesn't
lose her soul and wind up in fashion, but really who cared about her to begin with? More interesting was Streep's first assistant, Emily, played by Emily Blunt. For some reason that girl drew me in. Her part was well acted and as the "Devil's" protege, much more interesting. I don't know how her character affects the stereotype of women, but at least it wasn't naive and typical. The film does make the point that if Streep's character was a man her behaviour would be laudable and strong, but as a women she is the "Devil." Let's have some strong women who can do both, be successful in business and have a soul. Or would that be to detrimental to the strength of patriarchy?
