REVIEW: Clifford the Big Red Dog

Rated PG • Score: 8/10

Entering this week, I didn’t exactly have watching this movie on my list of things to do, but that’s the life of a parent, I suppose. That said, it’s been a while since I’ve seen a family film as equally eye-rolling and endearing as this one.

Despite being laced with some of the most unfortunate computer graphics I’ve seen in a live action movie—yes, the dog is pretty bad—Clifford is an unexpectedly delightful and heartwarming tale about a girl, Emily Elizabeth (Darby Camp), and a special puppy she meets during a visit to a mysterious, magical tent in a New York City park.

As a child, I loved the Clifford books. While I don’t necessarily remember their contents today, I can attest that the story is a thoughtful and unique adaptation of their spirit, with far more heart to it than I’d have expected from a kids flick. It’s perhaps my favorite movie of its kind since the first Stuart Little film more than 20 years ago.

It’s hard to make movies that can resonate with younger and older audiences alike. With its positive messages about embracing uniqueness and standing up for oneself and others, this film delivers in pleasantly surprising ways that led my eyes to well up a bit from time to time.

The performances were all-around solid, particularly those from Camp and Jack Whitehall, who plays Emily’s Uncle Casey. The two were truly the heart of the movie, and played off one another well with a genuine and effective chemistry that reflects the awkwardness that sometimes comes with adults trying to relate to younger family members; it felt believable.

The CGI animation—that was bad. Even so, it’s about what you might expect for a kids movie, and something most children will likely pay no mind to.

For what it’s worth, my two boys each gave the movie two-thumbs-up, and want to see it again. As a parent, that’s really the most you can ask for: your kids having a great time at the movies. It’s just a bonus when it’s a movie you overall happen to enjoy as well.

The bottom line: Great for families with children under 10. 8/10