Marley and Me

The premise of the adaptation of John Grogan’s Marley & Me will be familiar not only to its readers but to anyone who has ever seen a family pet movie. Newlyweds John (Owen Wilson) and Jennifer (Jennifer Aniston) adopt a puppy as training for a future child, but find the pooch, Marley, more of a handful than initially expected. Much of the first hour appears based on cynical assumptions: the puppy has big eyes, and is the worst (but by extension, the best) dog in the world. Sadly, this sentimentalised treatment of the dog’s relationship with his owners becomes increasingly manipulative in the film’s overwrought finale. Yet, there appears to be more here than this simple story; Marley’s exploits work as a backdrop to a wider treatment of a charming, yet surprisingly authentic image of domestic life. In this manner, at least, Marley & Me is a clear success. [Stephen Mitchell]