Once upon a time, a young girl named Emily Elizabeth Howard (Darby Camp) fell in love with a little red puppy, thus beginning a HUGE adventure.
Based on the beloved Scholastic character Clifford the Big Red Dog, the new movie from Paramount Pictures is about an eccentric, but magical, animal rescuer (John Cleese) who gives Emily Elizabeth an adorable puppy that grows into a 10-foot hound. is the perfect movie for the holidays and World Kindness Day on Saturday, November 13.
While her single mom Maggie (Sienna Guillory) is away on a business trip, Emily Elizabeth and her fun but impulsive uncle Casey (Jack Whitehall) set out on an adventure filled with antics, slapstick and a great deal of fun as these heroes and their friends and neighbors take a huge bite out of the Big Apple. The movie was directed by Walt Becker (Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip and Wild Hogs).
The tagline of this warm and fuzzy offering is: “Adventure has never been bigger.”
While Emily Elizabeth is obviously a lovely, bright, and capable young girl, she is also the subject of teasing and bullying at her posh private school where she is the new girl. This is courtesy of a “mean girl” who taunts her for being a scholarship student but don’t fret, Emily gets her revenge, albeit with great humor.
Her rambunctious new dog provides our young heroine with not only a faithful companion who obeys her commands, but a role model on how to adapt when everyone is pointing a finger at you because you are different.
This is a vital message for children and teens with any kinds of differences or disabilities who are often labeled, taunted, or overlooked in a society that promotes conformity as opposed to nurturing uniqueness.
Emily’s mom reminds her that the truly unique leaders and inventors – such as Albert Einstein – were out-of-the-box thinkers who forged their own path. She says to her daughter, “People who are unique change the world!”
In addition to enjoying this family-friendly movie, that will truly warm your heart, it is a great time to explain to children that different never has to mean less, that kindness, acceptance, and love all go hand-in-hand and that being open-minded may lead to great discoveries.
Another message that is perfect for the holidays is, “No matter how out of place you feel, magic is all around us.”
Based on the beloved Scholastic book character created by author Norman Bridwell, Clifford the Big Red Dog is sure to teach the world how to love big!
Clifford The Big Red Dog scampers into theaters and on Paramount+. on Wednesday, November 8.
Adam C. Forman contributed to this entertainment report. This is his first story for PCM.