It doesn't take long reading The Independent Critic to figure out that I fancy myself a Meryl Streep devotee. There's a reason that she's snagged those 21 Academy Award nominations and three wins. Quite simply, she rarely, if ever, misses even when occasionally saddled with middling material that leaves you wondering how it's ever going to work. While Streep may not make every film she's in a great film, there's nary a film she's done where she hasn't at least made it a better film. 

I enjoyed 2006's The Devil Wears Prada even if the film was decidedly more timid than the Lauren Weisberger novel upon which it was based. Director David Frankel and screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna, both back this time around, have always tended to lean toward the warm and fuzzy and while there's no way The Devil Wears Prada was a misfire it surely didn't have nearly the bark and bite that it ought to have had and for which its leading trio would have been more than able to deliver. 

Streep is back, of course. You can't replace Streep, and I pity the fool who tries. Her 2006 take on Miranda Priestly accounts for one of her Oscar nods, and it's actually pretty stunning that twenty years later she brings Miranda back to life as if she'd never left. 

The Devil Wears Prada 2 is that rare legacy sequel that makes sense and completely justifies itself. We're not repeating ourselves here, though the film's return to the New York City offices of Runway magazine is as it should be as we balance cosmopolitan destinations and stylish threads beyond my minds with a realistic capturing of the dwindling journalism industry, the increasing influence of tech billionaires on industries they know nothing about, and a world where clicks mean more than quality. 

Some will likely argue that The Devil Wears Prada 2 is even a little bit more warm and fuzzy. Perhaps that's even true. However, this glimpse into a twenty-years-older Miranda possesses a prickly poignancy that feels more soulful and purposeful than the original film and for that reason I find myself preferring this version ever so slightly more. 

Miranda (Streep) and Andy's (Anne Hathaway) paths haven't crossed for years, Miranda still helming Runway with an iron-gloved first while Andy has become the respected and purpose-filled journalist she always wanted to be. 

Of course, we wouldn't have The Devil Wears Prada 2 if their paths wouldn't once again cross. 

On the cusp of being elevated to director of her employer's entire global brand network, Miranda's ticket to global dominance is jeopardized when a poorly vetted Runway article leads to internet rage and unhappy advertisers including Dior, now helmed by another familiar face, Emily (Emily Blunt). Across town and only moments before accepting a major industry award, Andy and her entire team discover they are fired...by text. 

You guessed it. It doesn't take long until Andy, without Miranda's knowledge or input, ends up as Runway's new Features Editor. 

As Gabe Kaplan would say, welcome back. 

As one would expect, there are conflicts galore and contrivances that run amok. However, there's a different energy this time around and there's an ensemble at the top of its game. In case you're wondering, yes Nigel (Stanley Tucci) is back and completely indispensable. While it may be arguable that it's Hathway that adds the heart here, there's such a quiet warmth to Tucci's Nigel that you are reminded right away why you loved him then and you love him now. As vicious as she can be here, Emily Blunt's Emily is very much the same way. She's like a cat that scowls and hisses and throws things into chaos, though every action not so subtly reveals that she's mostly wanting to find her people. 

There's also a strong sense of nostalgia here for a world where people matter and where journalism matters and where building relationships took precedence over the bottom line. It's so earnest, really, that one can't help but wonder if we can ever get that back. 

I loved The Devil Wears Prada 2. I laughed a lot. I cried a little. I enjoyed these characters again. While Miranda still doesn't possess Weisberger's bite, there's both bite and bark here along with a sincere believability that adds a lovely emotional layer to the film. Hathaway is wonderful as well, though she's practically cornered the market on this type of lovely performance portraying a woman who is incredibly intelligent, incredibly beautiful, incredibly loyal, and still manages to give a damn about those around her. 

Side threads weaving in a tapestry of love and relationships feel unnecessary, though Patrick Brammall is infinitely more compelling than Adrian Grenier as Andy's love interest. A cute touch unrelated to the film, at least in the theatre I was in, was a Starbucks commercial featuring Grenier, whose departure from the film hasn't been really addressed though fan chat would reveal his character as easily the least popular from the original film. 

It must be said that Brosh McKenna's touch is more natural with a weaving together of believable relationships and a narrative that is both entertaining and meaningful. I liked the story in The Devil Wears Prada. I love the story in The Devil Wears Prada 2.  

As a longtime film journalist, it's not often these days that I find myself forking over the dough to check out a film after its opening night. For several reasons, I missed checking out this film pre-release and I'm so glad a quiet afternoon at home turned into a nostalgic return trip to the Runway. 

Written by Richard Propes
The Independent Critic