THE ANNE HATHAWAY REVIEW

By Nate Lee

BEST FILM: The Devil Wears Prada “Brokeback Mountain” wasn’t Anne’s film, but “Devil” was—or at least half of it. Her role in the film was a metaphor for what the role did for her career: she held her own with the formidable and brilliant Meryl Streep and came out at the end a highly respected pro.

GREAT PERFORMANCES YOU MAY NOT HAVE SEEN:

Rachel Getting Married (Oscar, SAG and Golden Globe-nominated performance as a troubled woman returning home for her sister’s wedding)

Nicholas Nickleby (a love of Nicholas’s)

Becoming Jane (Jane Austen, opposite James McAvoy)

THE PRINCESSES:

Ella Enchanted (Beats her stepsisters to Prince Char, mostly by being the only one not in love with him)

Princess Diaries (An awkward teen who happens to be heir to Julie Andrews’s throne)

Princess Diaries 2 (Now she must get married)

The Devil Wears Prada (think about it)

BLOCKBUSTERS:

Brokeback Mountain (Jake Gyllenhaal’s neglected wife)

Get Smart (Agent 99, with Steve Carell) 

THE REAL HATHAWAY:

The Devil Wears Prada

Okay, you could say that the Princess films reflect Hathaway’s rather rapid rise to stardom. But “Prada” shows the smart (Vassar) player who, as above, can be more than an ingénue. (Besides, her role was rather that of Cinderella turning into the Princess anyway.)

ACTING STYLE:

Wholesome yet spunky. Sweet and patrician with a side of sarcastic, independent and determined. She’s proved herself with “Rachel Getting Married,” but she’s definitely the type of actress whose fans will demand a regular return to romantic comedy, or just plain comedy.

BITS AND QUIRKS:

The magnificent hair, which often is used as the symbol of her transformation. A great singer and dancer, which has conveniently worked its way into her movies. The shrug and smile. The pratfalls and other awkward moves. A good rolling of the eyes move.

GREAT SCENES:

ELLA ENCHANTED

Stealing the jewelry and running from the guard > The giants’ party, particularly her song and dance > The rescue scene at the coronation

THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA

The interview with Streep > The terrific “cerulean” scene > The transformation scene at the hands of Stanley Tucci > Standing behind Streep, coming to the rescue by identifying people > The showdown in Europe and the toss of the cellphone

GET SMART

The tango contest with Steve Carell > Crossing the red laser zone

PRINCESS DIARIES

The physical transformation > Meeting Julie Andrews for tea > The car in the rain > The dinner-party pratfalls > The speech and ball

BRIDE WARS

The showdown at the Plaza with Kate Hudson  

GO TO THE... ANNE HATHAWAY BIO