Nate
Diving into The Devil Wears Prada (for some reason)
I’m sorry that this newsletter is coming to you late, but I was on vacation for most of this week ziplining, eating S'mores and watching The Devil Wears Prada. As one does.
The only bad part of the time off (other than being slightly burnt, but that’s a foregone conclusion at this point) was watching Nate in The Devil Wears Prada, a skulking loser who’s so embarrassing that I had to write about him … even if the movie came out just under 20 years ago. I’m nothing if not timely.
Played by Adrian Grenier in quintessential Go Girl Give Us Nothing acting, for those who don’t remember, Nate is Anne Hathaway/Andy’s on-again-off-again boyfriend, a chef who somehow has an infinite amount of time on his hands and uses most of it to put down Andy.1
The last time I watched this movie (according to Letterboxd) was four years ago, and in that time, I either blocked out all of Nate’s scenes or just forgot about them since they’re that unmemorable. Thankfully, he won’t be back in the sequel, which I’m pretty worried about, to be honest, but we’ll know more next year.
I get that Nate is having some existential crises of his own—aren’t we all?—but he really takes all of that shit and piles it on his girlfriend. And yes, Andy is going through changes, trying to make something of herself in a job she doesn’t particularly like, but that’s capitalism for you. Sometimes you have to work odd hours to make money so you can pay your bills and put that degree to good use. Instead of trying to sympathize or assist, Nate is constantly belittling her, ridiculing her long hours and obsession with doing well at work. God forbid! Sure, she’s trying to fit herself into this job, but she’s at least trying to show up for him.
And yes, she misses his birthday (well, she does show up late), but it’s also a big opportunity to work a major event and network and slowly try to escape the Runway gig. And Nate becomes the baby of all babies, whining incessantly, even when she passed on meeting a big-time New York editor. You can celebrate your birthday the following day. Sometimes that’s better anyway. Less pressure and more freedom to just do whatever.
We all go through early out-of-college trials and tribulations, especially when working in media, and I can’t think of a worse partner to join you in the next stage of your life. Also, he’s so boring. You can do better.
To be honest, I forgot how the movie kind of takes his side (or at least doesn’t run him off) near the end, with the couple apparently thinking about moving to Boston after a new job for Nate. You don’t think that your gig as a sous chef for an up-and-coming restaurant is going to require long hours and missed engagements? You’re not working in marketing, man.
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I know I’m far from the first to be annoyed with Nate—I mean, just look at Andy 2/3 of the way into the movie—but Jesus, he’s such a stick in the mud in an otherwise very fun, compelling movie. It really grinds everything to a halt, and to be fair, that grilled cheese doesn’t even look that good.
Anyway, I hope Anne/Andy can do better in the sequel. Perhaps a single Golf Digest web producer. I think there’s something there. Please reach out.
That’s all I have this week. I’m still on vacation time. Check back next week when I break down a very small part of some other movie from nearly 20 years ago for no reason whatsoever. And one more time for good measure … Nate can go to hell.
Also, I can’t stand Entourage, so that certainly doesn’t help here since Grenier played Vincent Chase.