I’m going to share a secret with you. I hate movies with “talking” animals. I don’t mean those wonderful little animated films with donkeys and mice. Those I love. The ones I hate have some family pet with a famous celebrity’s voice and attitude. Hollywood, though, has figured out that kids and old people adore these silly motion pictures where the dogs, cats, and gerbils are smarter than NASA scientists. So I made a meager attempt to hide my anxiety when our younger children convinced me to watch one. Frankly, I didn’t anticipate much. I wasn’t even sure it would be worth watching until it was over and my husband added his two cents. With a snicker, he said, “I can’t wait to see what’s Christian about that.” I took that as a challenge. I hope I pass the test.
Beverly Hills Chihuahua(PG) is a family friendly, talking dog adventure story. Drew Barrymore is the voice of Chloe, the lavishly pampered pet Chihuahua of cosmetic mogul, Vivian Ashe, played by Jamie Lee Curtis. Chloe lives a life of luxury in Beverly Hills, complete with a designer wardrobe and a collar of diamonds. Chloe spends most of her time surrounded by other pampered pooches and rejecting the advances of the gardener’s pet, fellow Chihuahua Papi, voiced by George Lopez. Chloe’s world goes awry when her owner entrusts her care to spoiled niece Rachel, played by Piper Perabo. Rachel decides to take a vacation in Mexico but confines Chloe to hotel living with canned dog food. Rather quickly, Chloe has enough and decides to follow Rachel out into town. The real adventure begins when Chloe gets dog-napped, forced into dog fighting, and enlists the protection of a German shepherd named Delgado to help her get home.
Even though I’m not a fan of talking dog movies, I was instantly taken in by Chloe. Chloe and her canine friends are adorable. That fact alone almost made me overlook some of the sexual references scattered throughout the movie. I don’t think young children will necessarily pick up on them, though, because they are referenced mostly through dog views. There are tidbits that only parents will appreciate, so I won’t ruin the laugh by revealing too much. For the most part, I think children of any age will be able to appreciate the obvious good dog vs. bad dog theme that is central to the film. I was pleasantly surprised, though, to discover there were plenty of other Christian ideas to address, like stereotypes, responsibility, self-worth, and honesty. I also noticed several religious references that could be worthy of discussion, especially the Mexican celebration of Dia de los Muertos. I think this is, generally, a movie that both children and parents will find enjoyable. And, to my surprise, will give Christian parents several topics to discuss.
Beverly Hills Chihuahua brings to light an issue that stirs much emotion regarding the proper care of animals. Chloe is treated like a human by her owner. Her owner buys her designer clothes, arranges play dates with other pets, and carries her around in a handbag. Chloe is loved and doted on. Her owner even blows kisses to her over the phone. Yet, once Chloe is stolen in Mexico, she is used as bait in a dog fight and hunted for ransom. When she escapes, she wanders the streets with other strays begging for food. At some point in the movie, Chloe, along with the audience, realizes that dogs are more than just fashion accessories. At the same time, the human characters are addressing the problem with strays by matching them with loving owners. This matter may seem trite but needs to be examined from a Christian perspective. Quite simply God did not create animals to be equal to humans. The Creation Story in Genesis explains two significant facts—there is no other animal like man and man has sovereignty over all the other animals. Paul re-affirms this in his 1st letter to the Christians at Corinth. Animals differ from humans in a far more important way. While all living things have a material soul, only humans have an immortal soul. Animals, no matter how intelligent, do not have the ability to choose God’s will over their own will. In this manner, they are not responsible for their actions. Once an animal dies, its soul ceases to exist. The souls of all humankind, however, will be either saved or damned based on how they chose to act. Christian parents can find this an excellent opportunity to talk to their children about the animal’s proper place in the world. This is a good time to mention that God gave mankind animals for food, as workers, and also as companions. They are not equal to humans and should not be treated as such. Instead, God gave man the responsibility to care for his creatures, not to abuse them.
Underneath the cute dogs and subtle jokes, Beverly Hills Chihuahua tells a story about loyalty and self-sacrifice. Chloe has no experience with either of these qualities. The only dog who understands loyalty and love, Chloe ridicules. But when Chloe is captured in Mexico, Delgado, the German shepherd promises to help her escape and find her way home. Even though Chloe is rude and insensitive, Delgado stays beside her. He decides, sometimes against his feelings, that he must keep his promise. This concept may seem rather simplistic, especially for Christians. Modern Christians are inundated with messages of self-actualization and self-gratification. People in society seem to be growing increasingly independent. In fact, dependency is seen as a weakness and is highly discouraged. Christian parents might take this opportunity to discuss how, as Christians, we are all one body in Christ. Children need to be reminded that Christ, not only calls mankind to love his neighbor, but that He also gives individuals the gifts to do so. This can be a very important lesson, especially for younger children who haven’t had many opportunities with generosity.
Most of the lessons in Beverly Hills Chihuahua are obvious. After all, it is a kid’s movie. I tried to look beyond the usual morals of honesty, responsibility, and kindness. Christianity is about so much more than just these three ideas. The wonderful thing about movie watching is that one never knows what message is hidden inside the dialogue. In my opinion, this delightful little film is worth the watch—even if you don’t like talking dogs.
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