From Prada to Nada

Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility receives a contemporary Latina makeover revolving around the Dominguez sisters—serious-minded, aspiring lawyer Nora (Camilla Belle) and frivolous Mary (Alexa Vega). Fabulously wealthy, the pair live with their widowed father in a Beverly Hills mansion. But life turns upside down after he suffers a fatal heart attack and the siblings meet their illegitimate brother, Gabe Jr. (Pablo Cruz), for the first time—and learn about their dad's true sad state of financial affairs. Gabe moves into the house with his nasty Anglo fiancée, Olivia (April Bowlby), who quickly kicks the girls out, prompting them to take up residence with their Aunt Aurelia (Adriana Barraza) in the barrio of East L.A., where culture shock takes hold. While pragmatic Nora looks for a job, Mary spars with Bruno (Wilmer Valderrama), the tough-guy handyman who lives across the street. Things begin to look up when Nora finds work in a law firm where her supervisor is Olivia's attorney brother (Nicholas D'Agosto), and Mary goes back to college, where a cute teaching assistant (Kuno Becker) draws her interest. Throughout it all, Nora and Mary learn to embrace their ethnic heritage and come to appreciate the importance of family ties. Angel Gracia's film isn't nearly as clever as Clueless, which also reinvented Austen for a new era, but there are some solid lessons here for teen viewers. A strong optional purchase. (K. Fennessy)