Marley's not nearly as adorable as the film's marketers would have you believe ... where's the Dog Whisperer when you need him?
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By Ned Jordan
Marley & Me was not what I expected. I didn't see the film during its
theatrical run, but I do remember its marketing, and its marketing left me with
the distinct impression that it was a romantic comedy or at the very least a
cute animal comedy. It's not really either of those. Sure it has its
comedic moments, but it's really the story of the life of a couple during the
years they share it with their dog Marley. Naturally most of the comedic
moments come from Marley, but most of those are early on in the film. From
there it moves well into the world of drama as Marley's owners John and Jennifer
Grogan (Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston) move towards middle age and
struggle with issues such as John's lack of fulfillment at work and Jennifer's
sacrifice of her promising career to become a stay-at-home mom who finds herself
stretched very thin caring for three kids and a rambunctious dog. While
the film carries a PG-rating it's not really for kids who will quickly lose
interest once Marley's antics take a backseat to marital problems and other
stresses of adult life. It can be a sentimental journey for those who have
at some point in their lives had a long-term relationship with a beloved pet and
those who enjoy family dramas, but those looking for animal antics or romantic
comedy will find the film to be slow-going.
Marley & Me is available in a three disc package that includes the film on
Blu-ray, a DVD disc for taking on the road (although it's probably not the best
choice to keep kids distracted and quiet in the car), and a digital copy disc
that will allow you to place the movie on your iPod, PSP, or other portable
device. The Blu-ray disc also includes a host of special features, most of
which are aimed squarely at dog-lovers. The picture and sound quality are
excellent, so if you have the hi-def equipment to enjoy it the Blu-ray version
is definitely the way to go.
