CLIFFORD, THE BIG RED DOG
US, 2021, 96 minutes, Colour.
Darby Camp, Jack Whitehall, Izaac Wang, John Cleese, Sienna Guilllory, Tony Hale, David Alan Grier, Paul Rodriguez, Russell Peters, Tova Feldshuh, Jessica Keenan Wynn, Siobhan Fallon Hogan, Rosie Peres.
Directed by Walt Becker.
For older reviewers, they need to put on their grandparent glasses! And to discover that from 1963 to 1998, there were umpteen cartoon books with Clifford, the red dog is their focus. Which means that this 2021 version, live-action, while it is made for today’s younger audiences, there should be many willing parents and grandparents to accompany the children, happy memories of times with Clifford!
Clifford is part of the litter, mother and others taken in by animal rescue. He gets out and encounters a moustachioed old gentleman sitting in the park, looking a little like Frank Morgan has the Wizard of Oz, but then revealed as John Cleese, Mr Bridwell, older and more portly than John Cleese used to be! And, this is a rather benign John Cleese, friendly, touches of magic, and certainly kindly towards children.
Then we are introduced to Emily Elizabeth (a very sensible name), who is picked on at school. Actually, Darby Camp who plays Emily Elizabeth is a very strong screen presence, seemingly not the little girl and would be bullied or lack self-confidence. She loves animals and goes into Mr Bridwell’s tent of exotic animals and falls in love with Clifford, bright red and very cute.
Emily Elizabeth is being looked after by her undependable uncle, Jack Whitehall, a slob, accident-prone, put down by everyone, lacking self-confidence. He can be very irritating. But, we know that by the end he is going to be lovable and heroic – which happens, more or less!
The big thing is that Emily Elizabeth loves Clifford so much, despite Clifford’s touches of mischief, that overnight he increases to not just being a big red dog but a BIG red dog. Lots of comedy here, smashing things as he tries to move around the apartment, sits on scales and breaks them… Plenty of old-fashioned comedy here.
But, of course, there has to be a villain of the piece, and here is in the form of Tony Hale, a tyrant running a big business to produce more food for the world, experimenting with animals, seeing publicity and promotion with Clifford and claiming him, trying to capture him, sinister and sleazy. We just can’t wait for him to have his comeuppance! E does his bit but, it is over to Emily Elizabeth to be confident, assertive, even give a speech in defence of animals.
There are lots of character actors in supporting roles, especially the inhabitants of the apartment block, African-Americans, Hispanics, Jewish. And Emily Elizabeth’s best friend, Owen, is an American Chinese his millionaire father is very understanding, hospitable, trying to save Clifford.
This is one for the younger audiences, the teenagers might be tempted to think that it is below them (but they should enjoy it also). The film, like Clifford, grows on you and, even in grandparental mode, you find that you have enjoyed it.
