Common Sense Media Review
Fun, frothy fashion tale has cursing and sex.
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The Devil Wears Prada
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 12 parent reviews
Based on 67 kid reviews
Kids say this film is a fun exploration of the fashion world, highlighted by impressive performances, particularly from Meryl Streep, but some find it disappointing due to issues like body shaming and unrealistic relationship dynamics. While many reviewers appreciate the humor and inspiring messages about self-identity and resilience, others caution about its appropriateness for younger audiences due to some mature content.
- fashion themes
- strong performances
- body image issues
- humor and warmth
- age-appropriate concerns
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
In THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA, socially conscious journalism major Andy (Anne Hathaway) takes a job at Runway fashion magazine as second assistant to ruthless editor Miranda (Meryl Streep). Andy is told repeatedly that if she survives a year, she'll be able to get a job at any magazine, but she has no idea how tough her year will be. Andy is also at the beck and call of first assistant Emily (Emily Blunt). Worse, she's reminded daily that her clothes are ugly and that she's "fat" (at size 6). Art director Nigel (Stanley Tucci) gives Andy a makeover, and Andy devotes herself to pleasing Miranda, leaving her live-in boyfriend, Nate (Adrian Grenier), feeling abandoned. By the time that Andy's good friend Lily (Tracie Thoms) is echoing Nate's complaints, it's clear to Andy that she has to pick a lane—continue sticking it out at Runway, or quit before she's lost herself and her loved ones.
Is It Any Good?
Sometimes over-the-top and sometimes sentimental, this hit movie delivers on a fun, fashion-filled premise. The Devil Wears Prada loves its costumes and montages (often together), but the plot is creaky and the target far too easy: Everyone knows that the world of haute couture is cutthroat, imperious, and lurid. Luckily, Streep's super-diva Miranda Priestly is complex and compelling, thanks in no small part to the venerated actor's subtle, memorable performance. Miranda tends to speak quickly and quietly to assume her supremacy, even as she's vulnerable, showing that volume doesn't equate power.
Her on-screen counterpart, Hathaway, brings her signature wide-eyed innocence to her role, making Andy into a hero we all want to root for. In the end, great performances transform what could have been a shallow adaptation into an iconic movie in which Streep and Hathaway confidently strut their stuff.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about work-life balance in The Devil Wears Prada. How does Andy adapt to the world of high fashion and become accepted by her colleagues and boss? Are these acceptable changes to make in order to get ahead, or should stronger boundaries be set for personal integrity to remain intact?
Toward the end of the movie, Andy makes the argument that Miranda's cutthroat style of management would be perceived differently had she been a man. Do you agree with this statement? Why, or why not?
This movie was based on a bestselling novel. What do you think would be the challenges in adapting a novel like this into a movie?
Movie Details
- In theaters : June 29, 2006
- On DVD or streaming : December 12, 2006
- Cast : Anne Hathaway , Meryl Streep , Emily Blunt , Adrian Grenier
- Director : David Frankel
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Female Movie Writer(s)
- Studio : Twentieth Century Fox
- Genre : Comedy
- Topics : Book Characters
- Run time : 106 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : some sensuality
- Award : BAFTA - BAFTA Nominee
- Last updated : January 19, 2026
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