Seen on: October 3, 2008

The players: Director: Raja Gosnell, Writers: Analisa Labianco, Jeffrey Bushell, Cast: Drew Barrymore, George Lopez, Andy Garcia, Piper Perabo, Manolo Cardona

Facts of interest: Gosnell also directed the two disastrous "Scooby-Doo" flicks.

The plot: When a rich chihuahua ends up astray in Mexico, the courageous Papi heads out to rescue her from danger and bring her back home safe.

Our thoughts: Aren’t you tired of watching talking animals getting in trouble in every other animated or live-action family film? I would tolerate it if the story changed a little every once in a while, but here lately, I really feel like seeing the same old routine over and over again.

Raja Gosnell’s latest adventure “Beverly Hills Chihuahua” is no different. This Walt Disney production falls victim to a disappointing script full of annoying banalities, leaving behind a totally monotonous plot that lacks both action and humor.

Of course, I understand it is strictly a film for kids, but that doesn’t automatically mean it’s good. On the contrary, this is a perfect example of how filmmakers and studios can throw whatever crap at children because they know young audiences will buy it. Isn’t that just a little disturbing?

Anyway, the movie introduces us to Chloe (voiced by Drew Barrymore), a rich and spoiled Beverly Hills Chihuahua who enjoys wearing the most expensive dog clothes and spends the rest of her time hosting pool parties and getting anything from massages to pedicures (or should I call them pawdicures?)

Following a series of unfortunate events, Chloe ends up astray in Mexico, where a bunch of criminals engaging in illegal dogfights set everything in motion to capture her. At this point, her only hope is Papi (George Lopez), a courageous chihuahua who smells danger and embarks on a perilous journey to find the love of his life and bring her back home safe.

As adventurous as this may sound at first, “Beverly Hills Chihuahua” is not at all that exciting. Instead, it’s a rather boring film that spends 91 minutes following a bunch of dogs around Mexico. The dialogue between Chloe and the dogs she encounters along the way lacks humor, and the few risky situations she finds herself in lack suspense.

Other than that, “Chihuahua” stumbles across all possible clichés you can come across in a film of this particular genre. There’s the uninteresting human villain who wants to capture Chloe for some quick cash; there’s the hero dog who has a dark secret but rediscovers himself in the end; and of course, there are the wise chihuahua who teach Chloe that life as a dog is not all about money.

The voice cast offers no major surprises, and as far as the human leads go, Piper Perabo and Jamie Lee Curtis don’t get enough onscreen time to show audiences what they’re capable of. Perabo does a fabulous job imitating a chihuahua on the phone, but then again, we already saw that scene in the film’s trailer.

Freaky quote: “I'm a chihuahua." – George Lopez

The final word: In the end, I really wish nobody had ever left these dogs out. “Beverly Hills Chihuahua” may bring out a couple of smiles among younger crowds, but I have to admit the kids I shared the screening room with in the middle of the day remained rather silent throughout. Okay, I heard a quick bark somewhere in the back. Does that count?

Article by Franck Tabouring