Beverly Hills Chihuahua: Little Dog, Big Adventures

If you have seen Disney's Beverly Hills Chihuahua

, you may be inclined to agree with the film's tag-line in proclaiming it's "the greatest Chihuahua movie of all time." With regards to Chihuahua films, it may indeed be the greatest. In fact, it may the only one. Of course, you may be inclined to pass off this film off as another in a long line of Disney's talking-animal movies. While all the familiar conceits are in place, this film tries to buck your expectations by being a live-action feature.

At the bare minimum, the film's premise is chuckle-worthy. It seeks to flesh out the secret lives of the coddled canines who live in the homes and handbags of the super-wealthy. Utilizing the entertaining voice talents of Drew Barrymore, Andy Garcia, Cheech Marin, and George Lopez, the film plays on the familiar plot device of our hero, Papi (George Lopez) on a quest to bring his beloved Chloe (Drew Barrymore) back from dog-nappers in Mexico.

To be sure, along the way, both Papi and Chloe meet a cast of talking dogs, both good and bad, who get folded nicely into the action of the film. In a remarkable testament to the power of voice acting, Andy Garcia, as a German Shepard named Delgado, turns in an enjoyable performance which saves the more vacuous moments from slipping into sheer saccharine. Indeed, quick turns by Cheech Marin and Luis Guzman make the more predictable moments enjoyable.

While the bulk of the negative criticism for the film focused on the predictability of the plot, this did not seem to have swayed the general public. Indeed, if the success of Avatar is any indication, predictability can be forgiven if the presentation offers something unique. In the case of Chihuahua this came in the form of CGI tricks that enhanced the facial expressions of the animals. If anyone should ever question the viability of a talking Chihuahua movie, they need look no further than this film.

While the feature earned mixed reviews, it was a bona fide box office success. During it's opening weekend it earned almost $30 million, going on to earn almost $95 million domestically. With the addition of another $50 million from overseas markets, the film has earned a total of $145 million dollars. When compared to the $20 million production price tag, the film was a phenomenal financial success for Disney. Not bad for a live-action film based on the exploits of a Chihuahua.

by: Steve Collins.

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