Eleven-year-old Emily Howard (Darby Camp) and her mother Maggie (Sienna Guillory) recently moved from upstate into a rent-controlled New York City apartment that belonged to Maggie’s aunt. Emily attends an elite private school, but doesn’t really have any friends, and is often taunted and called “Food Stamp” by the mean girls since she’s on scholarship and can’t actually afford to attend. When Maggie has to go away for a couple days on business, she reluctantly leaves her younger brother Casey (Jack Whitehall) in charge. Uncle Casey isn’t the most reliable or responsible person. He’s an out-of-work, aspiring illustrator who lives out of his truck, and infamously lost Emily twice on the subway when she was younger.

One day, while Casey is walking Emily to school, they see an see an animal rescue tent in the park. The proprietor is a sweet but odd older man named Mr. Bridwell (John Cleese). He senses that Emily is lonely, and points her towards a tiny red dog, which he says will grow based on how much he is loved. Casey, trying to be the responsible adult for once, tells Emily that she can’t have a pet. However, somehow the puppy magically ends up in Emily’s school bag, and she discovers the stowaway when she gets home, and names him Clifford. When Casey sees the animal, he informs Emily they will need to return the dog in the morning. As Emily says goodnight to Clifford, she tells him, “I wish we were big and strong and the world couldn’t hurt us.” The next morning something magical has happened—Clifford has transformed from a tiny puppy into a massive ten-foot dog. And it couldn’t have happened at a worse time as the building’s superintendent, Mr. Packard (David Alan Grier) comes knocking on the door. He’s a stickler for the rules, and if he sees any pet, let alone a giant one, he’ll have them evicted.

As Casey and Emily desperately try to hide Clifford from Packard, they also start searching for the mysterious Mr. Bridwell, hoping that he can explain or help with their new giant problem. Assisting them in their efforts is Emily’s precocious classmate Owen (Izaac Wang). However, taking Clifford into the streets of New York quickly gets some attention, particularly from scientist Zac Tieran (Tony Hale). His company, Lyfegro, has been trying to grow giant food through genetic engineering, but after spending over $400 million, they have nothing to show for it, and the company is about to go under. However, Clifford could be the answer to all their problems, and Tieran is determined to get his hands on the ten-foot pup!

Clifford the Big Red Dog is a fun and delightful film the whole family can enjoy together, striking a great balance between the heart and the humor. I enjoyed it just as much the second time around. It is a tale about just being yourself and not worrying about standing out. Emily and Clifford are both outsiders who don’t really fit in, and don’t really have any friends. It is this common bond that makes them just what each other needed, and it is Emily’s love for Clifford that makes him grow so big. Meanwhile, Uncle Casey has always been the guy no one could count on, but now, as things go awry, he has a chance to step up and be the adult and redeem himself. Even though Clifford is a giant CG dog, he looks and feels quite believable, and you almost instantly forget that this isn’t actually a real animal. He will win the hearts of the audience as quickly as he wins Emily’s in the movie.

The film also has a lot of humor to it, starting off as more of a farcical situation, with Emily and Casey trying to hide their new giant roommate from the super, and preventing Maggie from finding out what’s going on back at her apartment. But the film also has some really witty dialogue and hilarious situational and physical comedy. This usually stems from Clifford just being an over-sized mischievous puppy and getting into trouble, while the other characters try to deal with the aftermath. I have been a fan of comedian Jack Whitehall for a while, and found him to be perfectly cast as the slacker Casey (though with a bit of a dodgy American accent). His comedic timing is perfect when delivering the one-liners, nervous reactions, and moments of physical humor. Darby Camp is a delight as the lonely girl who finds a partner in Clifford, and she holds her own against the rest of the film’s big comedic cast. And rounding out the main trio is Izaac Wang, who often steals the scene as Owen. Owen is obviously smitten with Emily, but unsuccessfully tries to play it cool. He’s also the one who’s usually left behind to watch Clifford as the others head off to enact their latest plan, which often results in some gross-out moment with the slobbering and farting pup.

The film’s supporting cast also includes some amazing comedic talent—the ever-charming John Cleese as the magical Bridwell, who always seems to have some trick up his sleeve or a hidden reason for his mysterious actions, and the over-the-top villains played by Tony Hale and David Alan Grier. The film also populates Emily’s neighborhood with a diverse and rich assortment fun characters played by recognizable comedic actors. There’s the shocked local vet (Kenan Thompson) and his assistant Lucille (Rosie Perez), shop owners Raul (Horatio Sanz) & Alonso (Paul Rodriguez), aspiring magician Malik (Russell Peters), and so many more. Even though Emily just moved to this apartment, she already appears to know all the neighbors, and it seems like a very welcome, family atmosphere. Well, except for the super.

While Paramount’s physical disc release of Clifford The Big Red Dog won’t be out until February 1, the movie is already available to own on Digital. I watched the 4K version on Apple TV for review and the presentation was excellent. The 4K video was stellar, with a clean and pristine picture throughout, making nice use of the Dolby Vision HDR to make the bright, beautiful colors of the city parks (and Clifford’s red fur) shine. There is an nice level of detail in faces and textures, and Clifford really looks and feels like a real dog, despite being CG. The Dolby Atmos audio track does an excellent job of providing the general ambiance of nature and the hum of the city in an immersive way. The track also makes nice use of the surround and height channels to make the sounds of storms, or people running traffic come to life. The dialogue is clear throughout.

The bonus material, which should be the same as what will be on the physical release, consists of about 20 minutes of featurettes with the cast and crew and three deleted/alternate/extended scenes.

What’s Included:
Digital specs and bonus material may vary by retailer.

Film: (1:36:26)

• 2160p / Widescreen 2.00:1
• Dolby Vision, HDR10
• Audio: English Dolby Atmos
• Subtitles: English SDH

Extras:

• Part of the Pack (6:33)
  The cast and filmmakers talk about the premise of the film, the characters, the talented and comedic cast, balancing heart and humor, and more. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with director Walt Becker, producer Jordan Kerner, and stars Darby Camp (“Emily”), John Cleese (“Mr. Bridwell”), Jack Whitehall (“Uncle Casey”) & Izaac Wang (“Owen”).
• Acting is for the Dogs (3:19)
  The cast and filmmakers talk about working with the giant ten-foot reference puppet of Clifford. Includes side-by-side comparisons with the final picture, behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with director Walt Becker, Clifford stand-ins/”Control Room Guard”s Rowan Magee & Jon Riddleberger, producer Jordan Kerner, and stars Jack Whitehall, Darby Camp & Izaac Wang.
• The Magic of Bridwell (7:11)
  The cast and filmmakers discuss the history of the beloved Scholastic book series, the origins of Clifford’s iconic name and color, the evolution of the character of Emily, point out some Easter eggs from the books in the film, and more. Includes some early illustrations, behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with producers Jordan Kerner & Iole Lucchese, director Walt Becker, author Norman Bridwell, executive producer Caitlin Friedman, and star Darby Camp.
• Tips & Tricks for Taking Care of a 10-Foot Dog (2:28)
  Emily narrates this humor guide to taking care of a giant dog that utilizes illustrations and clips from the film.
• Deleted Scenes
  Three short deleted/alternate/extended scenes are presented with rough CG effects. Select from:
  • Dr. Russ (:17)
    Casey suggests leaving Clifford with Dr. Russ.
  • Searching For Bridwell (:57)
    Emily and Casey try to disguise Clifford while walking down the street, but their choice of costume doesn’t make him any less inconspicuous.
    
  • Animal Blessings (1:35)
    The trio brings Clifford to a church where he gets a blessing, and they find a letter saying that Bridwell is in the hospital.
    

Final Thoughts:

Clifford the Big Red Dog successfully brings the iconic ten-foot red pup to life in live action for the first time, giving fans a fun and delightful movie the whole family can enjoy. The cast is excellent, and the film is both heartwarming and hilarious. I can easily see this as a film that will be watched over and over again. The digital release features excellent picture and sound, and includes a small but entertaining collection of bonus material (varies by retailer). This is an easy recommendation, and something that would make great family viewing over the holiday break.