Review of Marley & Me (2008) by Kristen P — 08 Aug 2016

The world's worst dog comes to life in a fun and simple fashion.

John and Jenny Grogan decide to move to the warm beaches of Florida as they begin their life as newly weds. As they settle down, find jobs, and put check marks on their life plan, John fears that Jenny may want a kid soon. In an attempt to cease any possible thoughts, he decides to buy a dog. Turns out this small little Labrador would grow up into a hundred pound beast and became known as the worst dog ever.

Let me just start out by saying that I really do admire and enjoy this movie. It's a fun and simple film that knows what it is and it never tries to over step its boundaries. This is a film meant for dog lovers and is something that I think many people in this situation could relate to. It's not only a movie that shows the life of a dog named Marley, but it's also about John and Jenny's marriage and the obstacles that they'll have to face in their lives. This movie presents real problems that many couples have to deal with, and many more scenarios that pet owners can relate to. The movie is subtle in its messages about growing old and it's an enjoyable flick for the entire family.

This movie isn't going to make you bust out laughing at any real points, nor does it avoid some cringe worthy moments and weird lines of dialogue, but it has a nice comedic tone to it that's more relatable than anything. The movie is a nice drama/comedy without swaying heavily toward one side and it feels like a nice balance between the two.

It's always a difficult challenge for a director and the crew to work with animals, but obviously, they did a great job here. I don't know the exact number but I know that more than a dozen dogs were used and I think the director/trainers on set did a great job of guiding the pets, easily making them the movie's star.

Owen Wilson seems like an awkward fella at times and his inability to thrive in dramatic moments hurt the movie a bit, but he still filled the role really nicely. He's actually a pretty funny guy and his subtle, comedic awkwardness is well noted. In my opinion, Jennifer Aniston was actually the best actress here. Her ability to really make the role hers was impressive and I think she brought the most dimensions to her character. Their chemistry together worked really well and they sold the fact that they were supposed to be a couple. They worked really well off of each other and they made everything seem very natural.

In the end, "Marley & Me" is one of the best films featuring a dog that you'll ever see, even if it's not the most quality film. It's worth a watch, especially for pet owners, and will certainly always hold a place in my heart.