Post by BIGFANBOY on Oct 3, 2008 4:45:02 GMT -5
BEVERLY HILLS CHIHUAHUA
Review by Gary Dean Murray
In this bitter world of the 21st Century, it is difficult to make a family film. It what used to be a staple of cinematic entertainment, the little flick that you could take both grandma and the grandkids to is as lost as a five and dime store. But, Disney the true pioneer of the industry still tries to put out films that the entire family can enjoy. Its latest is the cute comedy Beverly Hills Chihuahua.
Chloe (voiced by Drew Barrymore) is a pampered pooch living the perfect life in Beverly Hills. Her days are filled with being primped and having dog play dates with her friends. Actors voice the world of the dogs but the humans cannot understand the dog world.
Chloe has an owner Vivian (Jamie Lee Curtis) who keeps the dog in the lap of luxury. Her dog days of lying around the pool in a bikini are challenged by Rachel (Piper Perabo) Vivian’s niece who is given the task of watching Chloe while Vivian is off to Italy.
Rachel is not the most responsible person on the planet and goes down to Mexico with some friends and Chloe. Well, Chloe will have nothing to do with being ignored and takes off. A dog-fighting ring run by the evil Vasquez immediately takes her. In the cage awaiting death, Chloe befriends a street wise German Shepherd (Andy Garcia). The good dog breaks Chloe from the certain death of the dog ring and the two are off.
On the other side of the story, Rachel is trying to get anyone to help her find Chloe. Eventually she befriends Vivian’s gardener (Manolo Cardona) and his dog Papi (George Lopez). This trio goes to Mexico City in search of the beloved little dog. The rest of the story is Chloe finding out that she is more of a dog than she thought and finding out her heritage of Chihuahua.
The animals have animated mouths much along the lines of those old cow shorts from the 1930’s where the lips are a drawn movement over the cell. While it was cleaver seventy plus years ago, today it just looks a bit dated. But the story does keep an active pace and director Raja Gosnell keeps the narrative running along at a brisk speed. But the film doesn’t feel as thought out as a solid coherent work but as a series of adventures. The script by Analisa LaBianco and Jess Bushell has too many one-liners that just fall into the first row. There were only a few genuine laughs in the ninety minutes of the film. It’s a very low percentage for a comedy.
But little kids will love all the animals. Drew Barrymore does a wonderful job of conveying different emotions to this little dog. She finds a heart in what could have been a bland heartless performance. George Lopez actually gets the biggest laughs out of the audience, his years of stand-up comedy helping deliver the simple lines. There is this true affection in his voice. Andy Garcia gives a world-weary tone in the reading of his lines, which works for his character.
I just love Piper Perabo and she does a workman job in Beverly Hills Chihuahua. One of the big tenants of making a comedy is not to be afraid to look stupid and here she does a great job in a few scenes being a simpleton. Though she is used too little, Jamie Lee Curtis seems to be having a ball playing the pampering mama.
This little flick has to be judged on its merits as a family film and it a fair entertainment. While not on par with any semblance of great cinema, it is a fair little movie for the entire clan.
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