What do you get when you put together a failing dude ranch, an irresponsible father and his new fling,  two precocious eight year olds, and a possibly peodeophic villain? Why, it's the Olsen twins' best movie of course: How the West Was Fun.  Sure parents might flinch at the widower father when he spends the majority of the movie flirting with the free range rodeo girl rather than assisting his daughters in an effort to save their late mom's beloved ranch (Yes, the mom is dead, this is a 90s movie, what did you expect?). To save the ranch the girls must convince a hardnose businessman of the allure of ecotourism, and to save the movie, the Olsen twins must do what they're best at, recite sarcastic lines and have identical eye rolls. At eight they were tethering a fine line between little kids who shouldn't have good comebacks and snide preteens, but Suzy and Jessica, their characters in the movie, come off as smart, cute, and genuine. And fortunately for the dynamic duo,  they don't face much of an emotional story arc.

Besides the Olsens and Cassidy, the film stars Peg Phillips as Nattie, the owner of the ranch, Ben Cardinal as a Native American ("Not Indian!" Suzy corrects her sister early in the movie.) who tells the girls about their mom and spirit animals, and Martin Mull as Bart, Nattie's nature adverse son who has nefarious plans to turn the dude ranch into an amusement park . Phillips and Cardinal play compelling side characters who help the twins on their journey and while Mull has far too many scenes alone with the twins— including one in a hot tub— he's a goofy villain.

Is this movie cheesy? You betcha! Does it just barely filter on the edge of politically correct? Of course!  The fact that it was made for TV and stars the Olsen twins should tell you all you need to know. However, none of that takes away from how absolutely joyful it is to watch pipsqueaks in full cowgirl getup troll capitalists. 

To be clear: I am by no means calling it a good movie.  But the film hits on two of the biggest challenges currently facing the US— capital greed and disillusionment with nature— in a way even Donald Trump would understand. At a time when many are seeking nostalgic media, the escapades of the Olsen twins provide both an escape and a reminder: some corporate titans can be convinced that doing the right thing benefits both society and their businesses while other plutocrats are just rotten to the core.  So pack up your bronco, shine up your boots, holster the phone and indulge in a good old fashioned Western.