'Beverly Hills Chihuahua' is good, clean entertainment for kids

Drew Barrymore's vulnerable, little-girl voice is perfect for the pampered pooch, Chloe, in "Beverly Hills Chihuahua," a Disney film that is more adventure than comedy.

Chloe has more designer outfits, not to mention a diamond collar, than most humans. That's because her wealthy, indulgent owner (Jamie Lee Curtis) considers Chloe her "greatest treasure" and when her regular dog nanny is unavailable, she hands Chloe over to a niece (Piper Perabo).

She traipses off to Mexico, where Chloe is dognapped, in the grand tradition of movies from "101 Dalmatians" to "Beethoven." And, in twists borrowed from fish-out-of-water comedies along with such favorites as "Homeward Bound," Chloe must try to find her way home -- with a little help from a gruff German shepherd (voice of Andy Garcia).

The humans are absolutely secondary to the hundreds of dogs, whose mouths move in realistic fashion and who react on cue. The best of the bunch are a white Deerhead Chihuahua named Angel and four doubles as Chloe, who gets in touch with her Mexican roots and learns to appreciate the landscaper's dog (voice of George Lopez) she dismissed.

Although some of the references to Rodeo Drive and the Four Seasons hotel are a little too inside and "Beverly Hills Chihuahua" isn't a classic like "Lassie" or "Lady and the Tramp," it allows every dog to have his or her day. It's good, clean entertainment for younger children, and to its credit, reminds moviegoers that adopting a pet is a lifelong commitment.

Rated PG for some mild thematic elements.

(Pittsburgh Post-Gazette movie editor Barbara Vancheri can be reached at bvancheri(at)post-gazette.com.)

(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.scrippsnews.com.)