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Like its title pooch,
‘Clifford’ is a throwback
with lots of heart
By Katie Walsh
Tribune News Service
B
ack in 1963, the character
of Cliff ord (the big red dog)
came into the world when a
children’s book editor suggested
cartoonist and illustrator Norman
Bridwell come up with a story to
go along with one of his draw-
ings.
Taking inspiration from his
wife and daughter, Bridwell
conjured Cliff ord, and his ad-
ventures with his faithful com-
panion, Emily Elizabeth, have
endured through a long-running
series of children’s books and
a spinoff animated PBS series,
and now, the long-gestating
live-action version fi nally gallops
into town. The result is a sweet,
earnest fi lm that doesn’t traffi c
in snark or irony, capturing the
childlike spirit that allows for the
suspension of disbelief to buy
into the sight of a giant crimson
Labrador tearing across Central
Park after an infl atable Zorb
(remember those?).
The fi lm is directed by Walt
Becker, who made his name
with the Ryan Reynolds vehicle
“Van Wilder” and the aging star
comedies “Wild Hogs” and “Old
Dogs.” “Cliff ord” is a refreshing
departure from that particular
brand of smirking comedy. Writ-
ten by Jay Sherick, David Ronn
and Blaise Hemingway, “Cliff ord
the Big Red Dog” has a decid-
edly innocent throwback appeal.
The treacly score by journey-
man composer John Debney
is a constant reminder that this
is a movie for kids, though it’s
not out of the realm of possibil-
ity that parents will fi nd some
enjoyment in this fi lm as well,
considering that where some
other children’s movies zig into
loud, wacky territory, “Cliff ord”
zags into a register that’s softer
and more heartwarming. This
is a fi lm that’s so guileless and
well-intentioned that beating up
on it would feel like, well, kicking
a puppy.
It helps that the CGI Cliff ord’s
scene partner, Emily Elizabeth,
is played by the preternatu-
rally precocious actress Darby
Camp, best known for her role
as the wise Chloe on “Big Little
Lies,” in which she schooled her
TV mom Reese Witherspoon on
the nuances of Leon Bridges
tunes. Camp is able to sell her
emotional connection to the
enormous scarlet pup amongst
all the chaos, which keeps the
movie’s heart in the right place.
Emily Elizabeth is the new kid
at a posh New York City private
school, bullied by her class-
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Paramount Pictures
Jack Whitehall stars with everyone’s favorite big red dog in “Cliff ord.”
mates, and desperately in need
of a friend. When she and her
ne’er-do-well uncle Casey (Jack
Whitehall) come upon an animal
rescue tent run by a magical Mr.
Bridwell (John Cleese), she’s
immediately taken with a tiny
vermilion pup. Despite Casey’s
protestations, the dog some-
how ends up in her backpack,
and when Cliff ord blows up to
elephantine proportions, it sets
off a series of wild adventures
through the city. Emily and
Casey try to track down Bridwell
with Cliff ord in tow, while a
scheming genetics entrepre-
neur (Tony Hale) takes off in hot
pursuit of the colossal carmine
canine and his unique DNA.
“Cliff ord” doesn’t force too
many jokes, but it has enough
genuinely funny actors on board
(including a who’s who of “Satur-
day Night Live” players) to keep
things weirdly amusing around
the edges. Filling out the smaller
roles with the likes of David
Alan Grier, Rosie Perez, Tovah
Felshuh, Siobahn Fallon Hogan,
Alex Moff at, Horatio Sanz, et
al., helps make this a funnier
movie than expected. The big-
gest laughs come from a scene
where Kenan Thompson, play-
ing a bewildered veterinarian,
bemusedly attempts to examine
the prodigious pooch.
With a surprisingly progres-
sive message about a tight-knit
community protecting one of
their own against tech disrup-
tion and aggressive policing,
“Cliff ord the Big Red Dog” bears
a sly and incisive message
within this cute tale for kids
(Cliff ord’s large ruby tail is pretty
cute too).
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