Ever thought what would happen if Andy Garcia, Drew Barrymore and George Lopez filmed a movie together? Well, talking dogs probably weren’t part of the equation, but “Beverly Hills Chihuahua” is still good for a fun laugh or if you want to bond with 8-year-olds, not if you want a dramatic, suspenseful brain teaser.
Director Raja Gosnell tries to incorporate elements of suspense in “Beverly Hills Chihuahua;” however, the plotline ends up being predictable. In the beginning of the film, we meet Aunt Viv (Jamie Lee Curtis, “Christmas with the Kranks”) who boasts a fascination with tiny lapdogs. We also meet Chloe (Barrymore, “Music and Lyrics”), a canine heiress — yes, a Chihuahua heiress — born and raised in Beverly Hills who is obviously accustomed to her 90210 lifestyle. After finding herself lost in Mexico, Chloe finds a true friend in fellow canine Delgado (Andy Garcia, “Ocean’s Thirteen”), and the film chronicles their adventures home from Mexico.
Adding conflict — as well as a dark side — to the story is Diablo (Edward James Olmos, “Battlestar Galactica”), a fierce dog out to get Chloe and Delgado in order to bring them back to his owner, a criminal who runs dogfights. With attempts to include some drama, this movie does not contain real suspense (at least not for people over the age of 12). However, it does contain action, comedy and cute jokes that can be appreciated by people of all ages.
However, this is a Disney movie, and the moral quickly becomes apparent. It teaches children that selfishness and the overall distinction of being “spoiled” are not good qualities to have. Chloe, true to Disney form, learns that materialistic items are less important than inner qualities and ideals such as friendship, loyalty and staying true to who you are.
It is surprising such esteemed actors would take part in this silly-humored film, especially considering the stark contrast between earlier films with more intense roles. As for Lopez, this film does seem to match his comedy, yet his character, Papi, the Chihuauha whose “corazon” has been captured by Chloe, humors the audience the most of all of the characters. He ventures to Mexico to help find her with his owner Sam (Manolo Cardona, “Padres e Hijos”) and Aunt Viv’s niece Rachel (Piper Perabo, “Because I Said So”). The producers even included “Low Rider,” the theme song to “George Lopez,” in the soundtrack of this film.
As far as the “talking” of the Chihuahuas is concerned, the movie crew does a good job of moving the lips of the animals at the same time their voices are recorded. The audience experiences the film from two points of view: that of the dogs and that of the humans. The soundtrack of this film also seems to resemble the little Chihuahuas and their personalities with its quick perkiness, which overall blends nicely into the film.
If you are not in the mood to be challenged and you don’t mind predictability, “Beverly Hills Chihuahua” will set you up for a fun time and silly laughs. Pick up your favorite childhood sweets and sit down to enjoy simplistic comedy in this family-fun film.
2 stars out of 5.
