In Conversation: The Devil Wears Prada 2 Is Glamorous — But Fragmented
3.5 out of 5 stars
Comedy, Drama – Rated PG-13 – 1h 59m
Gurus Magazine Editor-at-large, Igor Vander, sat down with culture writer Astrid Taran to discuss The Devil Wears Prada 2. Below is their spoiler-filled conversation, edited for clarity.
Back at Runway
Astrid Taran:
We’re back at Runway.
Igor Vander:
Yes, we are. My expectations for this sequel were high, and I think things started off well. The opening scene—Andy (Anne Hathaway) losing her job while receiving an award—was a portrayal of the media industry that felt poignant and realistic.
Astrid Taran:
My expectations were also high. I appreciated the way they addressed the state of journalism. That’s exactly what it looks like now, 20 years later—the editorial barely exists in the same way. They did a good job with that.
What didn’t work for me was Andy. She’s such a sycophant for Miranda (Meryl Streep), and I don’t understand why. That level of loyalty just felt off. If Emily (Emily Blunt) successfully bought Runway, the film never led us to believe that Andy would be out of a job. So why would she care?
The Problem with Andy
Igor Vander:
I agree about Andy—it didn’t make sense. She has 20 years of experience as a serious journalist, and here she’s frantic and cartoonish. In the original, she was the straight man to absurdity. In this one, she becomes part of it, and the balance shifts to the point where the realism disappears.
I also don’t understand why anyone still reveres Miranda. She has an assistant (Simone Ashley) constantly correcting her, flagging anything politically incorrect. Everyone speaks the same cultural language, but Miranda doesn’t. She feels like an outdated relic, yet everyone still listens to her, and she keeps her job.
Astrid Taran:
That feels realistic, though.
What did you think of the overall story? For me, the plot felt thin. A stronger ending would have been Miranda leaving Runway to strike out on her own, similar to Anna Wintour. That would’ve been more interesting and aligned with today’s media climate.
Style Over Substance?
Igor Vander:
The plot felt like a simplified version of Succession. The whole takeover storyline—making a deal, not making a deal—felt dull, so they dressed it up with glitz. It felt like they were trying to camouflage mediocrity with celebrity cameos, fashion, and glamour—Lady Gaga as the cherry on top.
Astrid Taran:
I agree, but overall, I do feel the acting was strong. Justin Theroux was great as a Jeff Bezos variant. Lucy Liu did a great job.
Igor Vander:
The weakest character was Andy’s boyfriend (Patrick Brammall). I don’t understand why he was there.
The Boyfriend Debate
Astrid Taran:
I’ve been seeing so many people on the internet hating him, but I totally disagree. Andy’s portrayal as an unmarried woman who’s happy and successful was the most refreshing part of the film. I have no issues with the film showing us her dating life. Yes, her Aussie boyfriend is thinly written, but so was Adrian Grenier’s character in the original.
Igor Vander:
Here it’s worse. His presence is so unnecessary—Andy may as well kiss a wooden log.
Astrid Taran:
They don’t care about the male characters. And honestly, that’s fine.
Igor Vander:
Then why include them at all? It’s a distraction.
Astrid Taran:
I can let that slide.
Overload & Legacy
Igor Vander:
My bigger issue is the constant overload. Crazy plot twists, celebrity cameos, Gaga—it’s constant. It starts to feel like a movie version of a music video.
This film also had a lot more character diversity than the original, which is laudable, but those characters are just pushed into stereotypes.
Astrid Taran:
Yes, they could have given characters like Andy’s assistant, Jin Chao (played by Broadway’s Helen J. Shen), more to work with.
But I appreciated that they showed Miranda getting called out for her politically incorrect behavior. The fact is that in 2026, you can’t throw your coat at someone and not face repercussions, no matter who you are. This is not the same world as it was 20 years ago. I liked that they acknowledged the different cultural climate we’re in.
Igor Vander:
There are smart jokes, but most of them are Miranda’s. All the funny bits come from her.
Astrid Taran:
Well, she is a visionary, not a vendor.
Igor Vander:
But the film still gives Miranda so much power—and they allow her to use it to push people’s buttons.
Astrid Taran:
I agree, and I think the film sacrificed Andy’s character development to puff up Miranda’s legacy. In the original film, Andy walks away from the role to follow her dream of being a “serious journalist.” Here, she turns down a $350,000 book deal because she is more loyal to Miranda and this job.
Igor Vander:
That made no sense, especially after Andy experienced what it was like to lose her job and deal with that financial instability. It’s kind of like what Rachel Bloom’s character says: “Hey—Stockholm called. They want their syndrome back.”
Final Thoughts
Astrid Taran:
Rachel Bloom was great. I also liked that one of the journalist characters wore a baseball cap the entire time—that’s very realistic.
I’m also glad Stanley Tucci’s Nigel got the ending he deserved. That felt earned.
Igor Vander:
I think Andy becoming friends with Emily after everything felt phony. She lied to her about her intentions in buying the magazine. Why would Andy trust her again?
Astrid Taran:
Emily got her comeuppance, though. I was sitting next to two girls in the theater, and when it was revealed that Emily went to Coach after Dior, they gasped. The filmmakers really played that up (laughs).
Igor Vander:
We love Coach (laughs). I give it a three and a half out of five.
Astrid Taran:
I agree with that rating. The film really is a love letter to fashion, and I had a great time. I especially loved the final scene in the car—Miranda acknowledging what she sacrificed but refusing to apologize, and Andy meeting her there. This film is honest about the downsides of being a working woman, but celebrates those women. That felt refreshing.
Igor Vander:
There’s a lot of good in the film, but it doesn’t come together smoothly. It feels fragmented, overloaded, a bit manipulative—but ultimately, still fun.
