Blu-ray Review – Clifford

As a comedic force of nature, there are few industry professionals working today as talented as Martin Short. He's a legend in the business, skilled with silliness, but also a fiercely gifted actor with a proven resume on television and on the stage. It's his movie career that's been a strange ride for the star, finding the demands of film production often unable to bring out his best, muting his sharp wit and endless interest in mischief. In 1990, Short had minor successes and positive notices in a handful of disparate offerings ("Three Fugitives," "Three Amigos," and "Innerspace"), but "Clifford" was meant to really play to his strengths, gifting him a chance to portray a devilish 10-year-old boy, despite being 40 years of age at the time. It's certainly not the strangest idea to come out of Hollywood, but "Clifford" is out there, asking viewers to go along with a visual concept that's bizarre from any angle, while the story itself mostly involves aggressive interplay between Short and his co-star, Charles Grodin. There are plenty of laughs here, and Short is clearly having a ball portraying a Damien-like kid, but the picture is an acquired taste, built for those who enjoy their slapstick seasoned with a little anger and volume. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com