A Lot or a Little?The parents' guide to what's in this movie. Show
What Parents Need to KnowParents need to know that Clifford the Big Red Dog is, like the animated TV show, based on the classic children's book series about an oversized red pup and his sweet human friend, Emily Elizabeth. In this adaptation, Emily (Darby Camp) is a lonely New York City middle schooler who's been left in the care of her immature Uncle Casey (Jack Whitehall) while her mom is out of town. After attending an animal rescue event, Emily ends up with a cute little red puppy, who quickly grows into a massive dog. Emily and her 10-foot-tall canine proceed to have outsized adventures that include collateral damage and a bit of action (a brief brawl, a chase, the use of a Taser, a group of angry and protective neighbors), threats from a villain who wants Clifford for himself, and occasional bathroom humor (Clifford's huge size makes his toots, pee, and poop supersized, too). Insult language includes "freak," "nobody," and calling someone "Food Stamps." The movie deals with issues related to class and isolation; while most main characters are White, Emily's neighbors are diverse, as you'd expect in a city tale, and her one good friend is Asian.
Community Reviews
February 19, 2022 I’m honestly no prude but wow. Not appropriate content for a kids movie* the uncle almost wipes sanitiser down his pants when “preparing” for a job interview, in full view of the view of the office secretary. WTF? * Line to take the dogs temperature - vet says - What rhymes with “nut hole” * angry sheep charges at a guy and he yells “Oh Sheep!” Which of course is supposed to sound like “oh Sh*&” * Really unfortunate portrayals of Russian and Asian characters. * Police made to look incapable * building super wants bribes to get things done like fix a dishwasher, takes a bribe to give the bad guys personal information about a tenant. Like sorry, but for real, the writers really made some huge slip ups. The occasional double entendres that are generally used to keep adults or older kids entertained aren’t supposed to be obvious to 5 year olds. Bad characters. Bad plot. Surprised this made it out of the studio really. 5 people found this helpful. December 14, 2021 Good Teaching ToolAs I read the other comments I almost didn't watch the movie. Then I read something about diversity, so I took a chance. As a black teacher who teaches black and brown students this movie was great! The tough topics nobody wants to address and sweep under the rug is the reason we have such division in America. The students loved it and could relate to the bullying and the corporation wanting to USE Clifford in a negative way for their gain was very relatable to myself and students. This is a great movie to teach about what is really going on in this world in a more relatable way for young kids. This title has: Great messages Great role models 5 people found this helpful.
What's the Story?CLIFFORD THE BIG RED DOG is the first live-action adaptation of the classic children's book series by the late Norman Bridwell -- books that were previously turned into a popular animated TV show aimed at preschoolers. This version, directed by Walt Becker, sticks with Clifford's origin story. Emily Elizabeth (Darby Camp) is a middle schooler who seems like the poorest and loneliest girl at her posh Manhattan private school. Emily is left in the care of her irresponsible, immature Uncle Casey (Jack Whitehall) when her mom, Maggie (Sienna Guillory), leaves for a business trip. After coming across Bridwell's Animal Rescue -- a tent of animals up for adoption in Central Park -- Emily instantly connects with an adorable cherry-red puppy. Later, Emily realizes the puppy has somehow been placed in her backpack by the mysterious Mr. Bridwell (John Cleese). Overnight, Clifford the pup becomes supersized, creating a huge challenge for Emily, who wants to keep him at all costs, and Casey, who can barely take care of himself, much less his niece's enormous new pet. Then, when news about the giant red dog hits social media, Tieran (Tony Hale), the CEO of a company called Lyfgro, makes plans to steal Clifford to use whatever made him so big to help food become supersized. Is It Any Good?This crowd-pleasing, if uneven, adaptation of Bridwell's beloved classic books is saved by the sweetness of its story about a girl who loves her very big red dog. There was a moment, when the movie's teaser trailer first came out, when it looked like this version of Clifford would be stuck in the creepy awkwardness of the uncanny valley. Thankfully, the final film is better -- and cuter -- than expected. Emily's bond with the red puppy is easy for any pet lover to understand. Camp does a fine job of gazing lovingly at a CGI creation, and her apartment's neighborhood is believably diverse and ready to band together to save one of their own. While it seems unlikely that Emily would get so unreservedly and openly harassed by the rich mean girls at her school, her friendship with quirky classmate Owen (Izaac Wong) is cute and built upon their shared sense of "otherness" (hers based in class, his based on being Asian and nerdy). Where the movie struggles is the script, which is credited to Jay Scherick, David Ronn, and Blaise Hemingway. For example, why is the movie's villain the CEO of a company whose mission seems positive (feeding the world)? That's more than a bit confusing for younger viewers, who won't understand the morally ambiguous position that Big Agra holds in society. And some of Uncle Casey's one-liners and conversations with Emily are also questionably immature. There are also directorial questions, like why the British Whitehall (unnecessarily) uses his American accent while his sister Maggie is English (it's explained in a throwaway line, but it still doesn't make much sense). Despite those flaws, the story is undeniably tenderhearted, and Clifford is such a delightful dog that even cynical parents will understand why Emily's heart melts for him. Talk to Your Kids About ...
Movie Details
What age group is Clifford the Big Red Dog for?Designed for children ages 3-7, this animated series is based on the books of the same name. Clifford the Big Red Dog uses storytelling to present universal social and emotional messages to young children.
Is Clifford the Big Red Dog OK for a 3 year old?Not appropriate content for a kids movie.
Is Clifford suitable for 4 year old?Clifford The Big Red Dog Age Appropriate Parents Guide
Mature Content: The film is pretty safe for kids, although there are a few scenes which parents might object to.
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Is Clifford the Big Red Dog OK for 6 year old?
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