Clifford

I just watched this movie on TV and came here to see what other people think about it. I was very much shocked to see that the lead actor Martin Short was 40+ when this movie was made. He is playing a 10 year old brat in this movie and I got to say he has done very well at that. Though he doesn't quite look like a 10 year old but he surely comes close to it. This is a movie about a 10 year old boy, Clifford, who is very mischievous and raises hell everywhere he goes. Sick of his mischiefs, his parents leave him with his Uncle who is a middle-aged man and is trying to convince her fiancée that he likes kids and that's the reason why he agrees to keep Clifford with him. As the movie goes on, Clifford completely destroys his Uncle's life with his pranks because he didn't take him to the local Dinosaur Park. Although the ending wasn't the best but most of the movie is really good. This may not be the best movie you'll ever see but its a nice one to watch with your family. I think kids will really like it. It is really hilarious. I was very surprised to see the IMDb user rating for this movie being a moderate 4.2 and that's why I thought I should stand up for this movie. I think its far better than what the rating suggests.

Am I one of only a handful of people who think Martin Short is hysterical? The only way a goofy plot like the one in this film could possibly work is if the lead actor was a true genius of comedy, a man among Canadians, a charming elf-like creature I like to call Martin Shortman. Martin Short relies heavily on facial movement and voice tonal changes to make his character Clifford funny. Through the annoyance of his dear Uncle Martin surely we all can get along and laugh together as a family of opinionated movie viewers just looking for a good time, a few chuckles now and then to make us forget that we have low paying jobs and live in shoddily built ranch-style homes overlooking well built but poorly placed sewage treatment plants. Bottom line is that if you really like Martin Short then you will think this movie is hilarious, if you don't then don't waste your time because you can't have it back.

Horrible plot horrible script I mean a 40 yr old man playing a kid...,,,, But yet short somehow makes this work it's a light hearted comedy that I found Rather enjoyable you need to not be so uptight and just be like what the hell To enjoy this movie if you can't do that if you take yourself to seriously you won't like it And you be like a few reviewers on here and hate on the movie Be warned it is normal to loathe the character of Clifford Your either gonna love the character of Clifford or want to kill him lol

From the time this was released I was aware of this movie mostly because its reception was mixed to poor, and I'd be lying if I said I haven't been curious about it in all that time. It had at least three things going for it from the outset, as Charles Grodin, Martin Short, and Mary Steenburgen are all trustworthy names, especially when it comes to comedy. Why, no small part of the entertainment value here is simply in seeing Short adopt the wild exuberance of the 10-year old title character, and more than not the film starts strong. Grodin plays off Short's energy with tremendous ease and equal energy - a real treat as a viewer - and to the credit of the writers, they filled their screenplay with plentiful situational humor, gags and slapstick, and outrageous dialogue to keep the laughs coming. And to be sure, 'Clifford' does inspire laughter, and there's no small bit of cleverness peppered throughout.

There are signs of trouble along the way, however, as this early 90s film dallies with jokes that haven't aged well, and weren't appropriate in the first place - ableism, fatphobia, racism, transphobia, sexual assault, and more. Some bits are taken too far, or allowed to linger too long; some jokes, moreover, just aren't funny, not least when it's silliness for its own sake. It sure seems like the cast were having a good time, and the picture is well made, including production design, art direction, and effects. Unfortunately, good feelings are passed on to the audience irregularly and incompletely. I'm not sure when, but there came a point when I realized I couldn't remember when the last time was, while watching, that I laughed; unexpectedly, that sharp wit returns, before again vanishing. The problem with 'Clifford' is substantial inconsistency. As another example, despite definite highlights, the fun tapers off considerably well before the ending rolls around, and somehow it nonetheless ends on a relative high note.

I don't think this is bad, and in fact it's a little better than my worst fears of how I might feel about it. It's also not nearly as good as I allowed myself to hope, however, and more to the point, not as good as its best moments would portend. I'm not sure what the answer is here; personal preferences vary, and I'm glad for those who get more out of 'Clifford' than I did, but for my part I just don't think the intended comedy lands as well as it's meant to. Most everyone involved did a fine job, and Grodin and Short are unquestionably the real selling points, but somewhere between the writing and direction the scenes provided for them are just too variable in their worth for this to earn any more than a soft, cautious recommendation. Watch this if you like, but temper your expectations.

In this funny, but slightly crude film, Martin Short uses his young face and tricky camera angles, I think, to play the part of a ten year old boy. What is really funny is that he is obviously not a ten year old boy, yet he is perfectly capable of the role due to his bizarre sense of humour. This film showed on a television station that normally shows Disney B movies. Movies released in the 90's are not really my thing, but this one was really cute! There were a few offensive words and crude moments ( such as one reference to a "secret space" and other jokes about pedophiles ) but if these go in one ear and out the other, than it won't be a problem for you. Martin Short has the most hilarious face, capable of contorting to give a weird, childish look that creeps out even the on screen characters. The opening and closing shots reminded me of "Boy's Town" and gives us a chance to see Martin Short under layers of latex for his role as an elderly priest.

All in all, not a bad effort.