Beverly Hills Chihuahua (2008)

Enjoy the trailer's Berkleyesque musical number (resplendent with phalanxes of costumed singing and dancing chihuahuas) and Cheech Marin's luxuriant pronunciation of "Chi-hua-hua!" because the movie never includes that fun riff. (I felt cheated after my first viewing because I wanted an over-the-top movie but I softened on that score after my second viewing.) Beverly Hills Chihuahua is at its best in the first 15 minutes as we see how far fashion designer Viv (Jamie Lee Curtis) will go to pamper her dog Chloe (voiced by Drew Barrymore). The rest of the plot is cookie-cutter vanilla -- the Hispanic gardener shows up with his smelly lover-boy chihuahua Papi (voiced by George Lopez), an irresponsible dogsitter (Piper Perabo) takes Chloe on a daytrip to Mexico, Chloe is lost and pursued by dogfight cartel bad guys (and a bad-to-the-bone Doberman) -- but not half-baked since Chloe learns several tidy morals about friends and respect by the closing bell. That's Disney -- but Drew does Chloe proud. The best scene was when Chloe met the Mexican chihuahuas -- "We are small but mighty!" -- because that is truly the chihuahua spirit. As a dachshund owner myself (another dog beloved by owners but thought cartoonish by others), I can say this movie will appeal to kids, Hispanics, and dog lovers primarily with parents as a secondary audience. 3.5 stars. (3-8-09 updated 3-27-09)