---
title: "The Devil Wears Prada: the reviews"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-devil-wears-prada/reviews"
title_page: "https://film.one/film/the-devil-wears-prada"
critics_score: 62
critics_reviews: 8
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# The Devil Wears Prada (2006): what the critics said

Critics' score 62 from 8 reviews: 2 positive, 5 mixed, 1 negative.

Most critics land in the same place: an entertaining, good-looking comedy that is thinner than it ought to be, and that owes most of its appeal to Meryl Streep. The praise clusters almost entirely on her Miranda Priestly, described again and again as restrained, quietly cutting and nuanced rather than monstrous; several reviews say she alone lifts the film above adequacy. Emily Blunt’s comic work earns a mention too.

The reservations are about everything around her. Critics fault a predictable plot, formulaic lines, clumsy montages and an irritating pop soundtrack, and Total Film finds Anne Hathaway’s lead pedestrian beside Streep. The spread is narrow, with five of eight reviews mixed and only two clearly positive, and two reviews are too partially available to add much. The one firm dissent comes from Eye for Film, which calls it a muddled morality tale that glamorises the fashion industry it promises to satirise.

## Empire — Helen O'Hara

Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 29 September 2006. 

O'Hara finds the film fresh, stylish, smart and funny, despite some forced plot elements and formulaic lines. She especially praises Meryl Streep's nuanced, charismatic performance and Emily Blunt's comic work.

[Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/devil-wears-prada-review/)

## Variety — Todd McCarthy

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 22 June 2006. Festival review. 

McCarthy finds the adaptation entertaining but uneven, with Meryl Streep’s performance elevating it. He praises Streep’s restrained, quietly cutting portrayal of Miranda, while faulting clumsy montages and irritating pop music.

[Read the review](https://variety.com/2006/film/awards/the-devil-wears-prada-2-1200515215/)

## Time Out — Ben Walters

Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 2 October 2006. 

The available page metadata identifies this as a film review, but the review text is unavailable. Its description focuses on the demanding world surrounding Miranda Priestly and Runway magazine, without providing enough of the critic’s verdict to summarize it.

[Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-devil-wears-prada-1)

## Screen Daily — Brent Simon

Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 23 June 2006. 

The page identifies this as a review, but the paywall hides the critic’s verdict. No praise or complaint from the review itself is visible.

[Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/the-devil-wears-prada/4027769.article)

## Slant Magazine — Dan Callahan

Rating 2.5/4. 22 June 2006. 

Callahan finds the film predictable and thin, though amiably made and well acted. He especially praises Meryl Streep’s restrained performance, singling out a scene where Miranda briefly reveals her regret.

[Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/the-devil-wears-prada/)

## Total Film — Total Film

Rating 3/5. 6 October 2006. 

The review finds the film shallow but entertaining, with Streep elevating it into a one-woman show. It praises her nuanced performance, while faulting Anne Hathaway’s comparatively pedestrian turn.

[Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/the-devil-wears-prada-review/)

## The Skinny — Paul Greenwood

Rating ★★★. 13 October 2006. 

Greenwood calls it a pleasant enough rom-com whose good qualities just outweigh its flaws. He singles out Meryl Streep’s majestic comic performance as what lifts it above adequacy.

[Read the review](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/new-releases/the-devil-wears-prada)

## Eye for Film — Anton Bitel

Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 11 September 2006. 

Bitel finds the film a disappointing, mixed-message morality tale rather than the biting fashion-industry satire it promises. He praises Streep’s performance and the witty lines, but criticizes the film for glamorizing fashion and failing to challenge its industry.

[Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/the-devil-wears-prada-film-review-by-anton-bitel)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/the-devil-wears-prada.md