Nora Dominguez (Camilla Belle) and her sister Mary (Alexa Vega) are a couple of Latin-American princesses living in Beverly Hills till their pampered lifestyles come to an abrupt end after their beloved father succumbs to a heart-attack. At the funeral the girls are shocked to discover they have an illegitimate half-brother, Gabriel (Pablo Cruz) who inherits their estate leaving them nothing but their father’s debts. Forced to move in with their feisty Aunt Aurelia (Adriana Barraza), the Dominguez sisters struggle to adjust to their new lively, working class Mexican neighbourhood. While Mary goes looking for love in the wrong place, Nora gains an admirer in Edward Ferris (Nicholas D’Agosto), brother of Gabriel’s bitchy girlfriend Olivia (April Bowlby), who strongly disapproves.
This Mexican-US co-production puts a Latina spin on Jane Austen’s oft-filmed Sense and Sensibility. The results aren’t quite as captivating as Clueless (1995), writer-director Amy Heckerling’s ingenious update of Austen’s Emma, but an air of warmth and general bonhomie combined with the enthusiasm of the ensemble cast leave From Prada to Nada more watchable than many a fish-out-of-water rom-com. Onetime Spy Kids (2000) star Alexa Vega reinterprets the flighty Marianne Dashwood role as a spoiled Kim Kardashian-style fashionista who falls for handsome-but-suspect college lecturer Rodrigo Fuentes (Kuno Becker) even though it is obvious gruff bad boy Bruno (Wilmer Valderrama - really?!) is the guy for her. Meanwhile real-life style icon Camilla Belle yet again downplays her obvious beauty as lonely, lovelorn Elinor substitute, plain Jane bookworm Nora. You’re fooling no-one, gorgeous. Nevertheless, Belle’s engaging, energetic performance as the prototypical smart, resilient, forthright yet self-doubting Austen heroine leaves Nora’s plot strand the more compelling.
As Nora lands a job at Edward’s law firm and ends up helping some downtrodden migrant workers sue their bosses for unfair dismissal, the film raises some welcome satirical points about mainstream America’s attitude to its predominantly Mexican work force. Although guilty of over-simplifying the plot, From Prada to Nada is nonetheless more successful at translating Austen’s story into a different ethnic context than the atrocious Bride & Prejudice (2004), adding a sub-plot wherein our two hitherto pampered Latina princesses reconnect with their heritage, re-learn Spanish and embrace their culture. Interestingly the film draws a clear distinction between Mexican and what it evidently perceives as whitebread American, leaving no room for compromise, yet also tries to have it both ways in celebrating the success of characters like Nora and Edward in permeating the mainstream. Unfortunately the heavy-handed messages about tradition, family and responsibility, while laudable, end up muting much of the laughs. Conservative middle-aged Mexican viewers may nod in approval as these two privileged rich girls learn some harsh life lessons but those less judgemental will likely find the sharp-tongued, implacable elders in the story less likeable than the flawed, silly but well-meaning Dominguez sisters. Whereas Austen’s heroines endured adversity with grace and fortitude to eventually triumph, here the theme is about learning humility with the girls eventually grovelling at their suitors. It is notable Bruno does not do a whole lot to win Mary’s heart besides growl at her.
