Marley & Me

I’m glad that the two human hams don’t spoil the barky gala performance by the twenty-two dogs that played the role of Marley. Too bad, though, that the filmmakers end up cruelly tying up and tripping all eighty-eight paws by pulling so hard on the heartstrings. In this time of financial crisis, Hollywood obviously wants to give a Samaritan’s helping hand at least to the paper mills by raising Kleenex sales. And it works; even I shed a few tears. Over how easy it is to topple a sensitively filmed movie which mainly in the middle is more like Revolutionary Road than anything else (just the outcome is completely the opposite), if you don’t know when to stop. On the other hand, I’m pleasantly surprised that it wasn’t all that bad after all, because I had the following review up my sleeve just in case: “Let sleeping dogs lie. Like really." (12/03/2009)

In my opinion there has never been such an emotional film about the relationship between a man and animal. Marley and Me perfectly captures all the joys and worries of life with a dog. At first, Marley is a cute little puppy who Jenn lets do just about everything. Owen regrets getting him in the first place. As time goes on, Marley grows up and the leads begin to deal with the worries of looking after and raising a dog. Children come along and Jennifer's role as mother, wife, and dog owner is too much for her. Owen, on the other hand, feels that Marley is his only support. The kids grow up, moves come, a family comes together, and Marley ends up an old dog. It has to come at some point... the loss of a dog is borne by the whole family. Did it ever occur to the young couple at the time how hard it would be to say goodbye to Marley?… I appreciate that the film didn't fall into a cheesy story about how the dog causes one disaster after another and is eventually forgiven. Instead, it accurately portrays one dog's beautiful life. BEAUTIFUL. (28/10/2010)

What a beauty! You don't have to be a die-hard pet lover or a happy married couple who just got a hyperactive 50 kg canine monster to like and understand this film, all you have to do is sit back in your armchair, turn off your brain and let the beauty of Jennifer Aniston, the charisma of Owen Wilson and the unprecedented vigour of their adorable family pet carry you away for almost two hours. Sometimes, all it takes is a little, but this emotionally captivating comedy works so well in every way that "little" is the wrong word.... Good job ;) 80% (16/09/2012)

MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS. An American, at times funny family drama (I wouldn't quite describe it as a comedy) whose central theme is life with a cute little dog who becomes a rightful and inseparable member of the family, and the original label of "worst dog in the world" can take on a whole new meaning after a while. From my initial characterization (an American drama with a dog theme) it would seem that this story would be full of pathos and kitsch, yet it is quite the opposite. The proof lies in the fact that the scenes that classically lend themselves to "squeezing and wringing" (e.g. when Owen Wilson is driving Marley away, never to return), Frankel's film still maintains a very appealing position (not distance, just position), leaving it more up to the viewer to perceive or deal with the facts presented (okay, maybe they doubled down a bit, but it left me with a relatively gentle impression. :) Owen Wilson's closing monologue is a kind of bittersweet ending to this rather original and imaginative work. (26/10/2012)

"A dog has no use for fancy cars, big homes or designer clothes. A waterlogged stick will do just fine. A dog doesn't care if you're rich or poor, clever or dull, smart or dumb. Give him your heart and he will give you his. How many people can you say that about? How many people can make you feel rare, pure and special? How many people can make you feel extraordinary?" - Marley and Me is without question one of the most natural, genuine and beautiful films about a man and dog friendship I've seen to date. (85%) (07/03/2022)