Have you ever had a dog that you raised from a puppy? Well, life in general can be challenging but add a new puppy to the mix and be ready for your life to be turned upside down. That is exactly what the Grogans found out the hard way.
The story is well written and so close to real life that you may ask yourself over and over, “Is this a true story?” It does have many similarities to real life. As a matter of fact it is based on a columnist true story about his family adventures with a certain dog named Marley.
There is nothing spectacular about getting married, starting a new career, moving into a warmer climate and getting a new puppy, or is there? For John and Jenny Grogan it was a little more of a detour from their plans than they ever imagined. Anything worth while in life requires a certain amount of effort but they did not expect Marley.
As a dog owner myself, I can testify that Marley & Me, based on the real John Grogan’s smash 2005 memoir, is the single most endearing and authentic movie about the human-canine connection in decades. It’s also something more: a disarmingly enjoyable, wholehearted comic vision of the happy messiness of family life. It is a part of life that many families, especially pet owners, can relate to and appreciate.
This love letter to man’s best friend will make dog lovers roll over and do tricks. It is so warmhearted, you’ll want to run out and hug the nearest big furry mutt. It is a clean family friendly movie that the whole family can enjoy together. There are a few things that may deserve a bit of caution for younger children but overall there is something for everybody.
Without giving away too much and ruining the movie for you, there are some key elements of the film that bare mentioning. It addresses some strong character and family issues that are akin to real life. Marley & Me has a way of making you feel a wide range of emotions toward “the world’s worst dog” and the family that is bound to it. It ultimately has the viewer drawing on their own special memories.
There are some who might consider this movie, to have a boring story line because it is clean and about an ordinary family and their dog. Seriously, if you want to watch something with a lot of special effects, foul language, sex and violence then this is not what you are looking for. On the other hand, if you want to watch a humorous, family friendly, heart touching movie with the ones you love…then grab some popcorn, gather the family around, and hit play. You could do a lot worse.