In this episode, Beau and Sammi discuss the 2006 Ode to Celebrity Culture, Material Girls. Directed by Martha Coolidge, Starring Hilary Duff, Haylie Duff, Anjelica Huston, and Brent Spiner. Based (very loosely) on Jane Austen’s ‘Sense & Sensibility.’

The Good: 

Not Much, we’re afraid. Topping just over 2 hours, this movie is long, has very little by way of plot, and is a harsh reminder of how shallow the celebrity-worshipping culture of 2006 was. The only bright spot was a name-drop of Fred Durst and Tara Reid, which just goes to show that thankfully, we can outgrow things.

The Bad: 

All of it, pretty much. Not even Brent Spiner’s incredibly hammy performance could save this movie from itself, which insults the poor, the wealthy, and even the people in between.

The Ugly: 

The clothes, mostly. Some terrible stereotypes of gay men, hispanic women, and aspiring college students.

Verdict: 

Stale fart in an ATM booth

episode theme song ‘Back in Summer’ by Nicolai Heidlas 

“I do not want people to be very agreeable, as it saves me the trouble of liking them a great deal.”

You guys this is how I feel most of the time. And then there was this:

“There are few people whom I really love, and still fewer of whom I think well. The more I see of the world, the more am I dissatisfied with it; and every day confirms my belief of the inconsistency of all human characters, and of the little dependence that can be placed on the appearance of merit or sense.”

I honestly never expected there to be anything in a 200+ year old novel that spoke to me so much as a person, especially not my cynical little heart. But there you have it. The fact that her humor, her wit, and her understanding of the human condition is still appealing to this day speaks volumes of her talent. Her novels (well, maybe not Northanger Abbey) hold up to this day.

So let’s all raise a cup of tea for Jane today. Happy Birthday, dear Jane.

p.s. Feel free to leave your favorite quote/Austen movie gifs in the comments!