March 5th, 2009

I must say I was not that interested in seeing “Marley and Me,” the story of a young couple and their rambunctious Yellow Lab named Marley. I thought it was going to be a bad comedy involving chaos created by a dog, similar to Beethoven, but my first impression of this movie was wrong and I fell for this sweet little movie. 

This movie was based on a bestselling memoir by “Philadelphia Enquirer” columnist John Grogan, and tells the story of a young married couple (Owen Wilson and Jennifer Anniston) over a 15 year period. The couple decide to raise a cute little puppy as a trial run before they start on their own family, but the puppy grows into a 100-pound monster that fails at obedience school and is branded with the title of “the world’s worst dog.” The dog is only part of the story however with most of the story dealing with the couple’s struggle to make their marriage work, deal with multiple careers and a mid-life crisis. The dog is the one constant through all of their trials, and teaches the importance of savouring life’s simple pleasures. The story is undeniably effective at conveying the exasperation, but also the bond between the human family and their beloved family pet.

“Marley and Me” is warm and likeable throughout, and emotionally fraught at the end. Bring a tissue, this film is sure to get you.