Beverly Hills Chihuahua (PG, 2008)

common sense media says

Upbeat talking-animal adventure is fun for kids.


parents & educators say
  • 31% say violence is an issue

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that, like most movies featuring talking dogs (or animals of any kind, really), this upbeat adventure comedy will interest young pet lovers. The film doesn't have much in the way of iffy content except for some mild peril revolving around a dogfight promoter's mean mutt and a group of mountain lions that endanger the pup protagonist. Two dogs have a heartfelt romance, and two humans flirt. There are a few insults and some silly Mexican jokes (said by animals); e.g. "We're MexiCAN, not MexiCAN'T."

Positive messages: Mostly positive messages. The movie explores class and cultural issues. A few silly Mexican jokes (said by animals).
Positive role models: Chloe realizes that there's more to life than being a pampered lap dog,
and Rachel learns to be more responsible after Chloe runs away from
her. Chloe overcomes her princess-y prejudices to form bonds with
Delgado and Papi.
Violence & scariness: Mild peril: Chloe and Delgado confront mountain lions, dog-fight promoters, and a mean attack dog. Cops brandish their guns to arrest a character, but the weapons are only shown, not shot.
Sexy stuff: Dogs flirt/kiss and discuss dating; two humans also hug and flirt.
Language: Mild insults: "idiot," "stupid," "failure," "prissy."
Consumerism: The movie is about a pampered pooch from Beverly Hills... Brands include Louis Vuitton, Harry Winston, and Gucci. Rodeo Drive is also featured.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Not applicable.

More on Beverly Hills Chihuahua

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
  • Families can talk about the class and cultural issues the movie explores. At first, Chloe pretends not to like Papi. Why?
  • How did Chloe's troubles in Mexico open her eyes to how other dogs live? Is that an important message for people too?
  • What does Monte teach viewers about being proud of our heritage? 
  • Discuss what made kids want to see this movie -- the story, or all the advertising for it.

What's the story?

What's the story?
Carried around in the latest Louis Vuitton dog purse and sporting a diamond-encrusted Harry Winston collar, Chloe the titular BEVERLY HILLS CHIHUAHUA (voiced by Drew Barrymore) is an ultra-pampered lap dog. When her owner, filthy-rich cosmetics maven Viv (Jamie Lee Curtis), goes on a business trip to Italy, she leaves Chloe in the care of her irresponsible young niece Rachel (Piper Perabo). During a "girls' weekend" trek to Mexico, Chloe leaves Rachel's hotel and is immediately dognapped into the seedy world of dog fighting. With the help of former police dog Delgado (Andy Garcia) Chloe escapes and attempts to return to Beverly Hills.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 

Featuring a voice cast of mostly Latino stars -- from George Lopez as Chloe's courageous suitor Papi to Edward James Olmos as a mean attack dog named El Diablo -- Beverly Hills Chihuahua starts out feeling like a canine-focused episode of Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous and then morphs into a homeward-bound odyssey. As Chloe and Delgado try to cross the border and form an odd-couple friendship, he reclaims some of his former glory as a K-9 officer and she discovers her true "bark."

This talking-animal comedy even offers a perfectly timed lesson in Mexican dog heritage. Cornered by mountain lions, Delgado and Chloe are saved by a band of "tiny but mighty" Chihuahuas, whose leader, Monte (Placido Domingo), explains that the ancient breed used to be the chosen companions of the great Aztecs. They're not meant to be frivolously dressed lap dogs named FiFi but small warriors with a powerful bark. Ultimately, like Chloe, the movie looks like fluff but has a surprising amount of substance and style. Viva La Raza (of Chihuahuas, anyway)!

Movie themes & details

Movie Details
Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
Director: Raja Gosnell
Cast: Cheech Marin, Drew Barrymore, George Lopez
Genre: Family and Kids
Run time: 91 minutes
Theatrical release: October 2, 2008
DVD release: March 3, 2009
MPAA Rating: PG
MPAA explanation: some mild thematic elements.

This review was written by Sandie Angulo Chen
 
 

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What parents & educators say

5
Based on 16 parent & educator reviews:
  • 31% say violence is an issue

Most useful reviews by all members

Hotaru Chan
teen, 14 years old
 
Great for everyone
Cute movie, my mom and I was laughing at some of the jokes. I would see it again, it was good ;)

HiddenWolf
teen, 16 years old
 
It shows a heroic little chihuahua (sp?) going to rescue his loved one and an awesome rough german shepherd Delgado whos an ex police dog tags along side the movies main heroine Chloe. Some fights might scare sensitive children.

spanora
parent of 5 year old
 
Cute
There are some good messages being sent regarding overcoming disappointments, standing by your friends and helping out someone in danger. My son loves it and its nice to find another movie without guns to watch

girl you dont ...
teen, 15 years old
 
love the movie!
I love this movie! It is one of my favorite animal movies! I just adore this movie! Definitely recommend this movie! I just love it! :) Its very cute!

D-day
kid, 13 years old
 
Amazing, I love it!
Cute family movie that everyone will want to watch but it is a bit scary at times.

Jadenp
teen, 15 years old
 
Suggested MPAA Rating: PG for some tense scenes, thematic content, frightening scenes.

I Love Warrior ...
kid, 10 years old
 
Beverly Hills Chihuahua! ?????????
It was a really good movie! My 4 year old sister liked it!

MarioMii
teen, 15 years old
 
I watched this movie with my nanny and she didn't like it. It was really STUPID.

 
Viva La Papi and Chloe!
This is a great movie. It's very funny and kids and adults of most any age will find it humorous. There's no bad language or real violence in the movie. I only had two concerns about the movie: 1) Jamie Lee Curtis's niece behaves VERY irresponsibly mostly because she's a spoiled brat and an airhead. She's selfish and only thoughtful when she realizes that her aunt is going to kill her once she finds out that she (the niece) has lost her prized Chihuahua. 2) The dog fight scene is kinda scary and some kids who love dogs may have issues with that. While those sorts of things are illegal in the U.S. (just ask Michael Vick), it shows that not other countries subscribe to the same values as Americans. If your children are animal lovers, I would preview that scene before showing it to them. There's no blood or real violence (as stated above), but Chloe (Drew Barrymore) fighting a Doberman Pincher ("Diablo", as voiced by the great Edward James Olmos) is kinda scary. George Lopez, Cheech Marin, Drew Barrymore, Andy Garcia, and many more star in this hilarious movie of misadventure.

cabbe
parent of and 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 18 year old
 
Cute Movie!!!!!!!!!!!
My children love this movie. I took my 9 year old twins and they loved it. The dogs were so cute and there was no cussing!

 
Some tense fights might be scary for little kids. Also if your kid is scared of big dogs, this may not be the best movie for them due to a threatening villian. Also a dog mentions that she wants a mate who hasn't been fixed, but that is likely to fly over a little kids head.

CailynWagner
teen, 15 years old
 
Pretty Good
It was a cute movie and great for pretty much all ages. There is a little bit of flirting but nothing serious whatsoever. In some scenes they didn't have to make it so "kiddie-ish" though which makes it good for little kids than most teens. Overall, I enjoyed it.

parakeet
kid, 12 years old
 
Some parts were scary and some parts were touching. The movie was okay.

USMEagles
parent of 7 year old
 
We loved this movie and thought it was really comical. The only complaint I have is some of the sexual undertones but I think adults catch them more than kids. These movies I think are made to appeal to parents as well as the kids so sometimes these one liners are thrown in and most younger kids miss them.

Swit Swat
kid, 12 years old
 
A great family film!
This was a really fun movie. I think it is perfect for almost any age. But, there is some dog kissing and flirting and two human characters fall in love too, but it is not that obvious. There is also some very mild violence. All dog lovers should watch this movie. Although, you need to know some Spanish to get part of the movie.

tangled
teen, 14 years old
 
Just your average dog movie. Adorable main characters. Some references to animal abuse. Thin plot. Happy ending.

perfectionist
teen, 15 years old
 
Terrible movie.
Hated it. It's more of a kids' movie. But some kids will probably find it stupid. Another Disney movie that stinks.

HennaGirl19
teen, 15 years old
 
Yawn...BORING!
The WORST movie of the year for me. DO NOT take your kids to see this! They will be bored to tears!

ibart9
teen, 14 years old
 
Moronic
I thjought it was pretty dumb. Mild action give thrills & bad dreams for little kids. Romance for 8 year old girls. Nothing really bad, just stupid.

BlueCastle
kid, 10 years old
 
dogs love them
THIS MOVIE IS CUTE.PA PI LOVES CLOCHE.

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ON: Content is appropriate for kids this age.
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