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Marley & Me (2008)
Director: David Frankel
Movie review
From Time Out New York
Perhaps we need to modify the old show-business dictum about never working with animals (or children): It’s okay as long as their fur matches your hair. Golden-locked Jennifer Aniston and straw-maned Owen Wilson ( “the butterscotch stallion”) seem content to play second banana to a Labrador retriever (well, a series of them, from pup to aged hound) in this alternately goofy and tender adaptation of journalist John Grogan’s best-selling memoir about “the world’s worst dog.”
The intentional comedy is what you’d expect; dog poo and off-the-leash shenanigans feature prominently. But thankfully, screenwriters Scott Frank and Don Roos keep the jokes relatively in check (a few lines of dialogue suggest that a running gag about leg-humping has been wisely left on the editing-room floor). The unintentional comedy comes from John’s rise from metro-beat reporter to columnist, which now sounds like a fairy tale. (“I’ll double your salary,” offers editor Arkin. Yeah, right.)
Marley & Me strikes a surprisingly delicate balance between wacky humor and a more heartfelt look at how a dog, even a badly behaved one, becomes part of the family. Through work and family crises, Marley—and his penchant for literally chewing the scenery—always remains.
Author: Hank Sartin
Time Out New York Issue 690/691: December 18 - 31, 2008
User reviews of this film
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- Barbatrilla said...
- Posted on Oct 29 2009 09:28 It's not life, it's the hallmark card version of life. I did not like this film!!
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- claire said...
- Posted on Oct 17 2009 03:30 oh my god, could not stop cyring at the end bit, (got to be a dog lover to understand)
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- mariel said...
- Posted on Oct 11 2009 01:52 i never thought that I too would cry... it is a very touching movie.
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- Roy said...
- Posted on Sep 23 2009 05:59 I cried too ! You'll only get the movie if you have a dog, or had a dog.
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- laura said...
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Posted on Sep 09 2009 15:51
great film ,
made me cry - Report as inappropriate
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- KATE said...
- Posted on Jul 14 2009 07:18 this movie was goddamn shit
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- megan said...
- Posted on Apr 30 2009 13:35 I read the book which was amazing then when i saw the film i thought the film was rubbish. The film misses out so much stuff that is in the book. The book is so much better
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- lucy said...
- Posted on Apr 30 2009 11:27 i saw this film bout 3 weeks ago it was sad whn marly died and the fist baby did but thn she had another 2 or 3 so it was happy
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- katie said...
- Posted on Apr 19 2009 10:32 i love this film i cried when marley died
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- susan said...
- Posted on Apr 15 2009 10:16 this film is for sad little geeks that like to sit around crying and laughing at themselves! get over it!! loosers!
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- xxxxxx said...
- Posted on Apr 15 2009 10:14 it was a sad film but it was really good! :-p :-p :-)
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- R. Rabbit said...
- Posted on Mar 29 2009 10:29 I sat in tears at this movie ....at the fact i had spent 7quid to sit through this goddam mush
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- Ellie said...
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Posted on Mar 19 2009 16:01
this film is absolutlyy amazing! i was sitting on the front row crying my eyes out :'(
i do recomend this movie its brill - Report as inappropriate
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- Ellie said...
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Posted on Mar 19 2009 16:01
this film is absolutlyy amazing! i was sitting on the front row crying my eyes out :'(
i do recomend this movie its brill - Report as inappropriate
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- melissa said...
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Posted on Mar 15 2009 14:53
AMazing film!!!!!!!!!!!
you have to see it!
Its very good. a definate must see!!! - Report as inappropriate
Cast & crew
Director: David Frankel
Cast: Jennifer Aniston, Owen Wilson, Kathleen Turner, Alan Arkin, Eric Dane, Nathan Gamble, Haley Bennett full cast
Rated: PG
Duration: 115 mins
US Release: Dec 25 2008
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