Clifford (1994)

9% of critics liked it
(22 reviews)
61% of users liked it
(8,547 ratings)

Versatile Canadian comedian Martin Short plays a 10-year old boy in this comedy aimed at younger audiences. The tale is told in flashback to another little boy. Clifford is a manipulative brat. Clifford really wants to visit Dinosaur World in Los Angeles. Clifford wants to go so badly that he… More Versatile Canadian comedian Martin Short plays a 10-year old boy in this comedy aimed at younger audiences. The tale is told in flashback to another little boy. Clifford is a manipulative brat. Clifford really wants to visit Dinosaur World in Los Angeles. Clifford wants to go so badly that he manages to force the Hawaii bound plane he and his parents are on to land in L.A. His parents need to attend a convention in Hawaii so they leave him with his Uncle Martin who despises children. Martin's fiance adores kids, so he pretends to be ecstatic about Clifford's visit. He must also pretend that Clifford is the angel child he isn't. Because Martin reneges on a promise to take him to Dinosaur World, Clifford begins an elaborate plot for revenge. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Play Trailer

Rating, Runtime: PG, 1 hr. 29 min.
Directed By: Paul Flaherty
Genres: Comedy, Kids & Family

In Theaters: Apr 1, 1994 Wide
On DVD: Mar 2, 2004
Studio: MGM

Critic Reviews

Variety Staff, Variety
Orion serves up another long-on-the-shelf turkey with this gimmicky, poorly conceived comedy.
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
Now let's have a show of hands: how many want to see Martin Short play a ten-year-old brat who makes everybody miserable and winds up staying with his uncle (Charles Grodin) in Los Angeles for a week?
Caryn James, New York Times
When Martin puts Clifford on a harrowing hyperspeed version of the Larry the Scary Rex ride, the special effects are impressive, but not worth waiting for.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
Clifford is not bad on the acting, directing or even writing levels. It fails on a deeper level still, the level of the underlying conception. Something about the material itself is profoundly not funny. Irredeemably not funny.
Desson Thomson, Washington Post
Remember when Martin Short was funny?
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
A weird movie that could have stood to be weirder still.
Neil Cohen, Echo Magazine
A hellish, horrible experience wasting the talents of all involved.
Chuck O'Leary, FulvueDrive-in.com
One can't help but laugh at Short's nutty rendition of an unctous little 10-year-old devil, and Grodin's angry reactions are equally funny as his increasingly exasperated uncle.
Clint Morris, Moviehole
One to cross off your CV Marty
David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews
[The film] isn't nearly as bad as it's been made out to be.
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
Worse than you can imagine.
Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com
The DVD should come with a free bottle of aspirin.

Read all 12 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Lucas M

The screenplay is not the best, but Clifford have an odd and involving dark humor. Sometimes not so funny, but that call the attention. Fresh.
James A

Still just as funny as I remembered it was when I saw it over 10 years ago. Regardless of its silliness Martin Short does an amazing acting like an impossible to like little kid.
Curtis L

This was back when Martin Short was kinda funny, and didn't make me want to rip his larynx out. It was pretty good if I can recall, like how he makes their plane crash land so they can go to Dinosaur land.
Lafe F

A hilarious black comedy where Martin Short plays "Clifford", one of the naughtiest boys in the world. It's hilarious, seeing him acting like a freaky child; I love the demented look he gets on his face when he's scheming his next prank. He does many bad things… More
A hilarious black comedy where Martin Short plays "Clifford", one of the naughtiest boys in the world. It's hilarious, seeing him acting like a freaky child; I love the demented look he gets on his face when he's scheming his next prank. He does many bad things throughout the movie, but nothing compares to his grand plan to have his Uncle Martin (Charles Grodin) take him to Dinosaur World amusement park, which was promised but never delivered. The little weirdo gets what he deserves in the end. It's great fun.
danny d

decently funny and entertaining
Christopher B

I absolutely loved Hitler, I mean Clifford.

Read all 6 featured audience ratings

Cast

            Martin Short as Clifford

            Charles Grodin as Martin Daniels

            Mary Steenburgen as Sarah Davis

            Dabney Coleman as Gerald Ellis

            G.D. Spradlin as Parker Davis

            Anne Jeffreys as Annabelle Davis

            Richard Kind as Julien Daniels

            Jennifer Savidge as Theodora Daniels

            Ben Savage as Roger

            Akuyoe as Airport Claims Clerk

            Greg Blanchard as Man at Party

            Channing Chase as Julia

            Natalie Core as Older Woman at Party

            Barry Dennen as Terry the Pterodactyl

            Richard Fancy as Detective

            Don Galloway as Captain

            James 'Gypsy' Haake as Transvestite

            Sherlynn Hicks as Female Photographer

            Linda Hoffman as Stewardess

            Sonia Jackson as May Ella

            Anthony Johnson as Servant

            Brandis Kemp as Woman on Plane

            Tim Lane as Navigator

            Gregory "Mars" Martin as Brian

            Marianne Muellerleile as Kevin's Mother

            Jennifer Nash as Wendy

            Al Pugliese as Detective

            Annabel Schofield as Woman at Party

            Tim Stack as Kevin's Father

            Susan Varon as Woman Passer-By

            Kathy Fitzgerald as Connie

            David Byrd as Senator

            Kevin Mockrin as Kevin

            Christopher Murray as Bartender
See full cast