Beverly Hills Chihuahua (2008)

User Rating:

3.1/10   

Director:

Raja Gosnell

Writers (WGA):

Analisa LaBianco (screenplay) and
Jeffrey Bushell (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

3 October 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Comedy | Drama | Family | Romance

Tagline:

50% Warrior. 50% Lover. 100% Chihuahua.

Plot:

While on vacation in Mexico, Chloe, a ritzy Beverly Hills chihuahua, finds herself lost and in need of assistance in order to get back home. |

Plot Keywords:

Chihuahua | Mexico | Animal | Train | Animal In Title

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Drew Barrymore	...	Chloe (voice)
Piper Perabo	...	Rachel Ashe Lynn
Andy Garcia	...	Delgado (voice)
George Lopez	...	Papi (voice)
Cheech Marin	...	Manuel (voice)
Paul Rodriguez	...	Chico (voice)
Plácido Domingo	...	Monte (voice)
Edward James Olmos	...	Diablo (voice)
Loretta Devine	...	Delta (voice)
Jamie Lee Curtis	...	Aunt Viv
Luis Guzmán	...	Chucho (voice)
Eddie 'Piolin' Sotelo	...	Rafa (voice)
Carlos Juvera	...	Tomás (voice)
Alex Mendoza	...	Frightened Terrier / Gang Leader Bull Dog (voice)
Lombardo Boyar	...	Praying Dog

Also Known As:

South of the Border (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG for some mild thematic elements.

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

Australia:G | USA:PG (certificate #44617) | Singapore:G | UK:U | Argentina:Atp | Ireland:G | Finland:K-7 | Netherlands:AL | New Zealand:PG | Hong Kong:I | Malaysia:U | Norway:7 | Peru:PT | South Korea:All | Philippines:G (MTRCB) | Taiwan:GP | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Germany:o.Al. | Belgium:KT | Denmark:7 | Canada:G (all jurisdictions)

Filming Locations:

Beverly Hills, California, USA

Company:

Mandeville Films

Trivia:

This is the second time director Raja Gosnell and composer Nick Glennie-Smith worked together. Their first collaboration was Gosnell's directorial debut Home Alone 3 (1997) where Glennie-Smith wrote the score. However this time Glennie-Smith is only the orchestra conductor and not the composer. The composer this time is instead Heitor Pereira.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The Aztecs never got to colonize Chihuahua.

Quotes:

Chloe: I lost my bootie!
Delgado: Your *what*?
Chloe: My bootie!
[runs back for it]
Delgado: Leave it!
Chloe: Leave it?
Delgado: [Diablo closes in on her] Leave it!
[snatches Chloe up and runs]

Movie Connections:

References Saturday Night Fever (1977)

Soundtrack:

Rich Girl

Harmless, although Forgettable Disney fare.

Chloe (Voiced by Drew Barrymore) is a American white Chihuahua, who lives in the high class of Beverly Hills with her master Vivian (Jamie Lee Curtis). Which Vivian is a rich business woman, who has her own cosmetics company. But Vivian has to travel on a business trip, she decides that her care-free niece Rachel (Piper Perabo) should look after Chloe... while she's gone. Rachel agrees to the job but her friends told her, they should have a fun small trip in the Mexico country on one of the beaches. Once they arrived, shortly... Chloe finds herself dog-napped by a criminal named Vasquez (Jose Mana Yazpik). Vasquez steals dogs to fight his dog El Diablo (Voiced by Edward James Olmos) for illegal underworld bets. Chloe finds help from a German Shepherd named Delgado (Voiced by Andy Garcia) to help her escape. While Rachel tries to find Chloe with Vivian's landscaper Sam (Manolo Cordona) and as well as Sam's pet Papi (Voiced by George Lopez), a Mexican chihuahua. Now Delgado is guiding Chloe back home, while El Diablo and his master are hot on their trail.

Directed by Raja Gosnell (Home Alone 3, Big Momma's House, Never Been Kissed) made an watchable if disappointing family comedy/fantasy from Walt Disney. Sure, the premise is cute but the script is pretty weak. It is nice to see Curtis in a movie but she's wasted in a small supporting role. Although this movie was a box office success, since it was well marketed to kids. But the teaser trailer promises so much but delivers so little. But the strong point is the vocal talented cast certainly helps. Thanks to the voice talents of Barrymore, Garcia, Lopez, Olmos, Cheech Marin as a Mexican rat and Paul Rodriguez as a Mexican iguana have their moments. "Beverly Hills Chihuahua" is the kind of movie, where it gets worse before it finally gets better.

The DVD has an sharp anamorphic Widescreen (2.35:1) transfer (also in Pan & Scan) and an fine Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. The DVD has an running commentary track by the director, a short animated feature, deleted scenes and a hidden feature. The young children will love this, the adults will find a few laughs but nothing more. If it wasn't for a bad script, this movie could have been something more. It's certainly an odd-ball curio from Walt Disney Picture. Leslie Mann voiced one of Chloe's Beverly Hills friends appears uncredited. Super 35. (***/*****).