Beverly Hills Chihuahua 3: Viva la Fiesta! Parent Guide

Life is good for Papi the Chihuahua (voiced by George Lopez) and his family. These pampered pets live with their owners in a lavish Beverly Hills home, where Papi is enjoying home schooling his five mischievous puppies. But when their masters accept jobs at the ritzy Langhman Hotel, and gleefully move into a posh suite, Papi’s life goes a bit loco.

To encourage their patrons to bring their canine companions along with them, the Langhman Hotel is a virtual pooch paradise, complete with a doggy spa, swimming pool and beautiful grounds. It also offers a doggy day care service, where puppies can be looked after by an energetic instructor, Jenny, (Briana Lane) and her dog Oscar, (voiced by Jake Busey). While Papi’s little ones are excited at the prospect of ditching dad and going to “real school,” Papi is unhappy at watching them grow up and become less dependant on him. Even more alarming, there is something very suspicious about the perky Jenny and Oscar duo, but only Papi seems to notice. His wife Chloe (voiced by Odette Annable), who is enjoying the glamour of being a favourite at their new residence, scoffs at his concerns. And his best friend Uncle Pedro (voiced by Ernie Hudson), a pit-bull with a passion for peanut butter, is too smitten with a fluffy hotel purebred to care.

To add to Papi’s problems, Rosa (voiced by Kay Panabaker), the smallest of the Chihuahua puppies, is tired of being the runt of the litter. When she voices her concerns to her dad he determines to prove his worth as a father and regain his place in his puppies’ hearts by throwing a fantastic Quinceañera for Rosa. These celebrations, held throughout Latin America to commemorate a girl’s fifteenth birthday, are a tradition Papi grew up with and an opportunity to make the smallest member of his family feel special. However, between planning the party, snooping on Jenny and Oscar, and otherwise wreaking havoc on the Langhman Hotel, things quickly get out of hand.

Despite a less than original plot line and typical silliness, the film does allude to important issues of growing up, letting go, and staying united as a family. However, these messages will be lost on younger viewers who will be more intent on the adventures of the Chihuahua pups than on Papi’s conflicted feelings about fatherhood. Although harmless enough, these Beverly Hills Chihuahuas don’t offer much meat to chew on.