The True Adventure of "Marley and Me"

"A dog doesn't care if you're rich or poor, educated or illiterate, clever or dull. Give him your heart, and he will give you his."

People with well-behaved dogs don't understand. Why don't you train him better? Why don't you keep him on a leash? Why do you let him on your furniture? Why don't you send him away? But those of us who have had unruly animals know. It's because we love them.

My very first dog was Buster. He was a giant beagle who never came when you called, ate everything whether or not it was edible, howled at all hours of the night, and frequently uprooted our neighbors' garbage. The best part of my day, whether walking back from church or getting home from a torturous day at middle school, was being greeted by Buster with a wagging tail and a slobbery smile. He loved us unconditionally. After watching Marley and Me, I was crying as if Buster had died yesterday.

The movie is based on a book of the same title by columnist John Grogan. It tells the true story of John (Owen Wilson) and his wife Jennifer (Jennifer Aniston) dealing with the everyday struggles of life, marriage, and pet care. As a newly-wed pair of aspiring reporters, John and Jenn move to south Florida to build a life for themselves. Afraid of the responsibility of fatherhood, John decides that the next logical step should be to get his wife a puppy: Marley. Marley proves to be a destructive, but lovable, force of nature. He howls uncontrollably during lightning storms, eats everything from necklaces to floor tiling, and gets himself kicked out of obedience school. As the years pass their family grows to include three children, and Marley becomes a symbol of the bond they have with each other.

What is great about this movie is that it's not just another man+dog+comic antics flick (ex: Beethoven). It's about a real marriage and about the real transition everybody has to make from young and carefree to responsible husband/wife/parents. Despite the fact that the attractive stars do not appear to age, the situations remain so down-to-earth that we're willing to overlook that. A husband, approaching mid-life, feels repressed by his job and his demanding home life. A wife is forced to set her successful career aside to be a full-time mother. Meanwhile, the dog rushes in and out of these situations like a tornado, causing just enough upheaval to unite them to a common purpose and a common love.

Even if you're not a dog person, Marley and Me is a wonderful film about the richness and beauty of family and appreciating the life you already have. If you are a dog person, make sure you're well-stocked with kleenex. You're going to need them.

My Rating: A-

AND THE 'NICELY DONE' AWARD GOES TO....

Author John Grogan and his dog Marley!

Sorry, filmmakers. The magic of this story comes  from the fact that it's true. John Grogan, inspired by the life and love of 'the world's worst dog', had the idea to put together his old columns into a book. For that, we are thankful. Nicely done, John! Nicely done, Marley!