Review in a Hurry: This tale of a pampered pooch lost in Mexico has more trouble sniffing out its main storyline than a Bloodhound who can't smell. But if you're into talking dogs, that shouldn't be much of a problem.
The Bigger Picture: An early trailer for this featured hundreds of frenzied Chihuahuas in feather headdresses singing "Chihuahua" and prancing around Aztec ruins, and declared the coming of the greatest Chihuahua movie ever.
Well, whatever that movie was, it's not Beverly Hills Chihuahua. What appeared to have all the potential of a so-bad-it's-fun masterpiece turned out to just be an average friendly enough kid's flick that often wanders the deserts of Mexico without much direction.
The story follows Chihuahua Chloe (Drew Barrymore), an overly pampered pet of a high-powered businesswoman Vivian (Jamie Lee Curtis), or Aunt Viv to her irresponsible niece Rachel (Piper Perabo). Chloe and her taste for Harry Winston jewels is revealed in a tediously long beginning featuring a clichéd version of Beverly Hills that seems even less current set against Gwen Stefani's "Rich Girl".
Once Aunt Viv gets out of the movie's way, Rachel takes Chloe to Mexico, where the she is dognapped by the nicest, most un-Michael Vick-like dogfighting circle. Things finally get moving when Chloe meets Delgado (Andy Garcia) a hard-boiled but caring German Shepherd who helps the defenseless Chihuahua escape the jaws of a killer Doberman named Diablo (Edward James Olmos).
From here they begin their journey to the States. But what should be a pretty straight forward story turns directionless.
Is it a buddy comedy? A love story? A look at border relations? Reclaiming ethnic pride? Race relations? A satire about overly spoiled pets? Or could it be, of all unthinkable things, a retired-cop drama? There are so many possibilities that the writers can't settle on just one. Instead, they run around several competing ideas without ever fully realizing one.
But the most important thing about the whole movie is it features talking dogs. Cute, cuddly ones with CGI lips that move convincingly, easily the strongest argument to see this movie. Not that there's anything wrong with that for kids and Puppy Bowl fans, just don't go expecting to like it ironically.
The 180—a Second Opinion: There are so many talented voices with crap one-liners, like Cheech Marin as an animated rat, a character that is totally unnecessary. Even George Lopez is reduced to just spouting groaners like "We're Mexicans, not Mexican'ts."