Review of Marley & Me (2008) by Van R — 23 May 2012

This is simply a delightful but updated, transplanted version of the Walt Disney classic "Old Yeller." "Marley & Me" is PG rated, but that doesn't keep some characters from using mild profanity, such as son of a bitch once or ass twice.

Owen Wilson plays a newspaper reporter in Florida with his wife Jennifer Aniston who settle down. Owen's best friend in the movie advises him to get his wife a dog so that she won't want to have a baby as soon as possible.

While she is away on a court reporting case, Wilson finds a Lab puppy that is cheaper than the other pooches. The lab owner calls the pup a clearance pup. Our heroes get him and Owen decides to call the dog Marley while he is listening to a Bob Marley song on the radio.

Of course, Marley turns out to be the worst dog in your worst nightmares. Like all Labs, Marley chews up everything in sight. At one point, after Aniston receives a necklace from Wilson, Marley gobbles up the trinket and they have to hose down his doggie piles to find the necklace.

"Marley & Me" goes on for over two hours. Our couple has three kids, two boys and a girl. Wilson who had aspirations of being a big-time reporter like his close friend winds up being a wildly popular columnist who write about his misadventures with Marley.

If you love movies about big,dumb dogs, you'll love "Marley & Me." Nothing surprising happens and the filmmakers let you know well in advance that Marley's days are numbered. Bring Kleenex.