From Prada to Nada - Movie review

From Prada to Nada
U/A; COMEDY
Dir: Angel Garcia
Cast: Camilla Belle, Alexa Vega, Wilmer Valderrama, Nicolas D'Agosto
Rating: *1/2

What's it about: Based on Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility, the film is a modern day adaptation on the tale of two sisters who suffer a riches-to-rags ordeal. Nora (Belle) and Mary (Vega) are thunderstruck to realise their father died leaving no money in their name.



With no other option in sight, they are forced to leave their Beverly Hills Mansion and move in with their aunt (Adriana Barraza). Compelled to make compromises, both find it difficult to adjust to the new culture and also get in touch with their ethnic roots.

While Nora manages to find herself a job, the more spoilt Mary refuses to give up her Manolo Blahniks and Prada.

What's hot: There's some respite to the otherwise banal plot when the romantic elements come in form of Edward (Nicholas D'Agosto) and Bruno (Valderrama) both who are much more charming than their counterparts. Along the way, we have a bunch of chick jokes, clothes and popular tunes (California Gurls) thrown in.

What's not: It's shocking to watch the kind of racial typecasting done in the film. A Latino backyard, colour jokes and a tendency to frown upon a bunch of Hispanic neighbours doesn't really make for comedy. To add to the woes, the first half is super lethargic and drags its two feet at a snails pace.

When the crucial metamorphosis happens, it's too late. We have either lost interest, or know what's going to happen next. Of the cast, both Belle and Vega seen uninspired. Perhaps they mistook Austen's literary work as just another episode of The Hills or Jersey Shore.
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Their performances could have made good fodder for Saturday Night Live, but on the big screen it just falls flat. Jut to catch in on the girls, the title boasts of the popular designer brand earlier used in an actually entertaining film (The Devil Wears Prada).