A dog who needs to learn new tricks in this family comedy.
Beverly Hills Chihuahua is a 2008 family comedy film that focuses on a pampered female chihuahua named Chloe who’s used to her perfect lifestyle in the rich city of Beverly Hills, California. Chloe starts the film off as the pet dog of Viv Ashe, a businesswoman who lives in a wealthy estate, and Chloe has a dismissive and spoiled attitude due to her getting everything her own way. She goes with Viv’s niece, Rachel, to Mexico for a fun trip but ends up being dognapped and lost in a foreign country. Along the way, she meets other dogs and has to deal with being in a world outside of her California lifestyle.
This article will discuss Chloe’s character transformation in Beverly Hills Chihuahua.
A Cold, Cold World
In the beginning of Beverly Hills Chihuahua, Chloe is happy with life as Viv’s pet dog. She wears different expensive pet outfits, studded diamond collars, little pink booties, and has pet manicures and pedicures. Her physical appearance as a cute, white chihuahua, along with the sunny setting of Beverly Hills, makes her one of the most prized possessions that any wealthy dog owner in California wants to have. When Papi, a male chihuahua and pet dog of the gardener next door, tries to flirt with her, Chloe becomes disgusted. Rachel describes Chloe as spoiled rotten due to her frequent demanding barking. Chloe thinks of Rachel as irresponsible.
Neither Chloe nor Rachel seem to be interested in each other. This rift continues when Rachel and her friends travel to Mexico on a road trip. Chloe wants everything to be done for her, especially her perfect dinner, but Rachel refuses, leading to a fight. Rachel leaves Chloe behind in the hotel room to attend a party, which Chloe does not like. She sneaks out of the hotel room only to be dognapped.
The scene where Chloe gets dognapped and separated from Rachel is a transition from the closed gates of the wealthy Beverly Hills mansion to the cold, cold outside world. Viewers also see a change in Chloe’s personality from rude and spoiled to doubtful; Chloe has no experience with the outside world. At night, Chloe has to walk around town all by herself to find a safe place to rest. This shows how Chloe needs to learn to adapt to her new surroundings, which plays a role in her transformation.
Little Pink Booties
Chloe’s signature little pink booties are a symbolic pet accessory when it comes to her character transformation. She doesn’t go anywhere without wearing her pink booties at the start of Beverly Hills Chihuahua. When she gets herself lost in Mexico, she accidentally leaves one of her pink booties behind.
The single pink booty serves as a clue to Rachel, who is looking for the missing dog. Also, when Chloe tosses away her other pink booty, this shows viewers that she has changed her behavior as she tries to find a way back home.
In addition, when Papi rescues Chloe, Chloe sees that he isn’t the bad dog she thought he was. This also plays a role in her change of behavior, as she learns to appreciate what she has.
Conclusion
Overall, Beverly Hills Chihuahua is a family comedy for animal lovers, especially dog lovers. Disney fans will get a big picture of the lifestyle in Beverly Hills. Viewers will also see representation of Spanish-speaking people in the film, as this movie mostly takes place in Mexico.
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