Marley and Me
posted December 22, 2008 6:52 AM
A canine Terms of Endearment
Journalist John Grogan’s best selling memoir about how his marriage and family life were affected by a dog named after reggae singer Bob Marley, has been lovingly brought to the screen with broad humor and big tears. Never has the phrase ‘you’ll laugh, you’ll cry’ been more truthful. Families looking for an old fashioned, all-purpose, comedy with heart will flock to this offering that’s best described as a canine Terms Of Endearment. It ought to become one of 20th Century Fox’s biggest success in many months and a certain box office winner over the holiday season.
Basically dramatizing events in Grogan’s (Owen Wilson) book, the movie focuses on his career as a columnist at a Florida newspaper, his relationship and marriage to a colleague, Jenny (Jennifer Aniston), and their trials and tribulations in building a family—which eventually includes three kids after an initial miscarriage. The film chronicles their move to Palm Beach, Florida in the early nineties, various career ups and downs and the purchase of a “clearance puppy” who later turns out to be the world’s worst dog, evidenced by Marley’s flunking out of a dog obedience training session run by none other than a dowdy looking Kathleen Turner, whose brief comic bit here comes under the category of ‘my how the mighty have fallen.’
As the couple build a family and a life in Florida, Marley is a constant fixture, though not the real focus of the proceedings but for a handful of hilarious vignettes revolving around a trip to be neutered and a rambunctious destruction derby scene at home where he finally drives Aniston over the edge. The film’s latter half sees Wilson getting a job upgrade and the family of five packing up the now aging dog and moving to a picaresque house on the East Coast. Eventually, arthritis and serious illnesses start to take their toll on the pooch and the inevitable is near. The film’s final 20 minutes are gut wrenching for anyone who has ever had to deal with the death of a pet and this film seems determined to document every moment, in and out of the animal hospital. Unsuspecting parents may have some very upset small children on their hands by the film’s end when audiences both young and old will probably be awash in tears.
Frankel (The Devil Wears Prada) has taken another bestseller and given it a glossy, commercial feel without losing the special essence that made it work in the first place.
Chemistry between Aniston and Wilson is quite good, with the latter having his best outing on screen in a while, particularly in a heartfelt speech he gives to Marley near the end. Aniston looks terrific throughout even when she’s besieged by screaming kids and an out-of-control dog. Alan Arkin is wryly amusing as Wilson’s newspaper boss and ER’s Eric Dane is the perfect best friend as a globe trotting journalistic colleague of Wilson’s.
Reportedly 22 dogs were used at various moments to portray Marley and all the four-legged thesps do a terrific job.
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Cast: Owen Wilson, Jennifer Aniston, Eric Dane, Alan Arkin, Kathleen Turner, Haley Bennett, Ann Dowd and Clark Peters.
Director: David Frankel
Screenwriter: Don Roos and Scott Frank
Producers: Karen Rosenfelt and Gil Netter
Genre: Comedy/Drama
Rating: PG for thematic material, some suggestive content and language.
Running Time: 116 min
Release Date: Dec 25, 2008
27 Comments
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triggax said:
[Comment deleted by administrator]
December 24, 2008 7:12 AM
jackie said:
How would you know? The movie does not come out until the 25th. From what I hear it was very close to the book and if thats true then it has to be very entertaining. You almost sound like you might be Angelina Jolie trashing Jennifer Aniston because she has had hits and Angie's movies have all been BIG DUDS!
December 24, 2008 7:07 PM
victor Lisboa Gorgulho said:
yeah, this guy is probably an angelina fan.. so sorry that jennifer is going to score one more hit for her career dude
December 24, 2008 8:29 PM
Sandy G said:
I read the book and it was very humorous as well as
sad when Marley ages and eventually passes on. If the movie is half as good I will love it.I am planning on seeing it tomorrow.
December 24, 2008 8:33 PM
Tina F. said:
Awesome! Awesome... movie!
Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston do a beautiful job in this movie.... where it shows how quickly life goes and how loyal animals truly are.
Beware, however, this movie brings the out and out "ugly" cry not the "cute little tears rolling down your face" cry ... but the sobbing cry.
LOVED it! Would love to see it again!
December 25, 2008 3:44 PM
Viewer said:
To the Post left by Triggax. Do you really have to use such profanity when leaving a post or when talking! This is completeley unnessary not to mention what you said is blasphmeouse.
December 25, 2008 4:05 PM
Jennifer C said:
You hit the nail on the head with this review. This is a BEAUTIFUL story - and captures all the highs and lows of having a dog as a member of the family. You WILL laugh, and you will ABSOLUTELY cry! I loved the book, and the movie lived up to my expectations.
December 26, 2008 7:36 AM
Greg said:
I had felt like a fool reading the the book on a long over sea;s flight as laughed and cried out loud. The book stired up memories of the dogs in my life 2 of which i had to put down within a week of each other just a few months earlier. Oddly enough the book helped us make decision to get another dog as we remembered the joy far out weighed the trouble and the pain of lose.The movie brought those feelings to life in stereo and color. Very well acted loved it.... 5 stars
December 26, 2008 8:23 AM
Lindsay said:
awsome awsome
December 26, 2008 9:00 AM
Aly said:
Great movie! I laughed and cried just like when I read the book. By the way, Eric Dane is on Grey's Anatomy, not ER.
December 26, 2008 11:01 PM
rjc said:
I looooooooooooooved this movie. It was a tearjerker. I cried at the end but laughed all the way thru the movie. I read the book and this movie in no way let me down.
December 27, 2008 2:01 PM
Anonymous said:
I liked the book, but I'll take a pass on the movie.
Owen Wilson overdose.
December 27, 2008 5:42 PM
shannon said:
the movie is one of the best ones I have seen in a long time. I laughed and cried. it is well wother seeing
December 27, 2008 5:42 PM
Diana said:
Thought the movie was great. great for the whole family too see. In fact, we are going today to see it again!
December 28, 2008 6:25 AM
matt said:
very sad
December 29, 2008 3:44 PM
matt said:
very sad
December 29, 2008 3:45 PM
JJ said:
I loved the curious case of benjamin button.
December 31, 2008 7:46 AM
GiGi said:
Just because the dog is cute doesn't mean the acting is good! It's a dumb movie and the acting is boring.
December 31, 2008 9:44 AM
Sara said:
Anyone remember 'Old Yeller?' Bad movie. Aniston doesn't even look like herself. How did she go from 40 yrs to 20 yrs old? Plastic plastic plastic. No chemistry between the actors and Owen got no publicity at all. Who knew he was even in the movie??
December 31, 2008 9:49 AM
Paras said:
me and my wife liked it. Great Movie. :) :(
December 31, 2008 2:20 PM
Anonymous said:
So very real to true life. If you have owned a dog this will hit ya hard. Great job.
January 1, 2009 11:55 AM
Jim said:
watching a dog die, twice, for 40 minutes, along with lifes other b itches the rest of the movie, makes for a HORRIBLE movie. Don't be blindsided. There is zero plot or point to the movie, unless you consider lifes a b itch and then your dog dies something worth spending money. hollywood should just shut down. it's the last time i spend a nickle on a movie. it's even worse than that clint eastwood boxer brain dead movie. Truly a ridiculous movie.
January 1, 2009 8:55 PM
coffee dude said:
judging by the box office, it looks like Jennifer Aniston is giving Brad Pitt a run for his money...
coffee!
January 2, 2009 8:27 PM
Kim said said:
I loved the movie, very funny until the end.
Everyone in the theater was crying. This movie was very real to life, and heart breaking especially if you have ever owned a dog or you are an animal lover. Loved Jennifer Aniston in this movie as always she is excellent actress.
Owen Wilson was great as well.
January 3, 2009 2:00 PM
Anelise said:
Great movie, awesome movie
January 12, 2009 4:20 PM
ron said:
i think the up and coming Ms Haley Bennett (Music & Lyrics) should have had more of a starring role in this movie. she is a very beautiful and talented young lady with a very bright future ahead of her and would have complimented Jen and Owen in this movie if her charachter would have been explained in the movie. i hear there were a couple of scenes that were left out due to the length of the movie.
January 16, 2009 10:55 AM
n4r3nd3r4 said:
After i saw this movie,... I'll remember my dog.. BTW this movie is awesome
January 17, 2009 1:42 AM