Beverly Hills Chihuahua comes at the perfect time for the embattled American public. As millions are hit hard by the financial crisis, escapist fare like this brings a little respite from everyday problems. And there is no studio better than Disney to serve up this celluloid distraction.

The movie centers on a pampered Chihuahua, Chloe (voiced by the perky Drew Barrymore), whose owner Viv (Jamie Lee Curtis) treats her to daily massages, spa treatments and poolside garden parties. Chloe is the kind of dog who wears a diamond collar and gets carried around in a Louis Vuitton bag. When Viv goes out of town on a business trip, Chloe is left with her irresponsible niece, Rachel (Piper Perabo), who takes the dog on an unexpected trip to Mexico.

Ignored and thoroughly put out, Chloe roams the streets until she is kidnapped by dogfight lords. The adventure really starts when she escapes captivity with the assistance of a German shepherd named Delgado (Andy Garcia).

Rachel, meanwhile, begins a frantic search for the lost pooch with Viv’s landscaper Sam, who has a crush on her, and his own Chihuahua, Papi, who’s secretly in love with Chloe. The journey ends well for everyone (what a surprise!) and the two couples get home just in time for Viv’s return.

As nonsensical as it all sounds, Beverly Hills Chihuahua has several funny and sweet moments, and you can’t dispute the numbers. The kid-friendly comedy was first at the box office for two weeks running, and first in sales after its release on DVD and Blu-Ray, beating  Baz Luhrmann’s epic Australia.

Obviously, Americans need a few mindless laughs, and Chihuahua provides.

By Aysa Melkonyan