Clifford the Big Red Dog Movie Review
Love Big
Last month I got the chance to screen Clifford the Big Red Dog with my family and participate in a Q&A with Jack Whitehall and Darby Camp. I have been waiting to be able to give you guys my review of the movie, and now I finally can! Clifford the Big Red Dog is out in theaters and Paramount+ on November 10, 2021. You can read my spoiler-free Clifford the Big Red Dog Movie Review below.
My Clifford The Big Red Dog Movie Review
Clifford is such a cute movie. I could watch it over and over with my kids. It’s funny and has so many sweet moments. It is a movie that is perfect for helping to teach younger kids to stand up for themselves and that it is ok to be yourself. One scene in Clifford totally surprised my 6-year-old and brought her to tears. She didn’t fully understand why she was crying because a movie had never made her cry before. What she did understand was the relationship and love Emily Elizabeth (Darby Camp) had for Clifford, and how important Clifford was to her. My daughter also understood the importance of the specific scene. But she was so worried because she was crying. Haha! I told my daughter that it was ok that Clifford made her cry because good movies should move us.
Beyond the touching scenes, Clifford is also full of laughs. Jack Whitehall as uncle Casey is hysterical and Jack is definitely in his element when he is doing comedy. But of course, creating a 10-foot tall CGI dog, and having people act against it is no easy feat. The CGI in Clifford is good, but not the best. Sometimes the CGI in Clifford looks out of place, and in some scenes, the acting against Clifford is so so, but If you look past the CGI though you have a highly entertaining movie.
But what’s really nice about Clifford
Is that it presents its story and the lessons we can learn from it in a way that young kids can understand. The movie is not complicated, and it reminds me of the books I read as a child and read now to my kids. So how would I rate Clifford the Big Red Dog?
My Rating
I give Clifford a B+. Clifford The Big Red Dog is jam-packed with laughter and heartfelt moments. I loved how my daughter connected with the characters especially Emily. Darby Camp is superb as Emily and will have you up out of your seat cheering for her and Clifford. And while the CGI at times is not the best Clifford the Big Red Dog is still the perfect movie for family movie night.
Movie Synopsis
When middle-schooler Emily Elizabeth (Darby Camp) meets a magical animal rescuer (John Cleese) who gifts her a little, red puppy, she never anticipated waking up to find a giant ten-foot hound in her small New York City apartment. While her single mom (Sienna Guillory) is away for business, Emily and her fun but impulsive uncle Casey (Jack Whitehall) set out on an adventure that will keep you on the edge of your seat as our heroes take a bite out of the Big Apple. Based on the beloved Scholastic book character, Clifford will teach the world how to love big!
