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.
