6 January 2009
MARLEY AND ME
Stars: Owen Wilson, Jennifer Aniston, Eric Dane, Alan Arkin Director: David Frankel****Screening at Hoyts Warrawong, Greater Union Shellharbour, Roxy Cinema Nowra.This movie had won me over before the opening credits had even rolled, for a more adorable cast of a labrador pup, Jennifer Aniston and Owen Wilson would be hard to find.Plus I'd loved the 2005 book of the same name by journalist John Grogan whose autobiographical tale of his trying relationship with man's best friend became a surprise bestseller.The movie, with its blend of sweetness, sadness and humour, is following suit; it's already broken box office records in the United States.There are plenty of reasons why. Firstly, this is not just a movie about a dog named Marley. It's a movie about a family; their hopes and dreams, their highs and lows, their trials and triumphs.Aniston and Wilson are great as John and Jennifer Grogan, the career couple whose perfect life is challenged firstly by the arrival of an imperfect dog, then by parenthood. The well-known actors do such a good job, you forget it's even them and immerse yourselves in the Grogans' lives.Still Marley is the true star of the film. From the moment he enters the couple's lives, chaos reigns. Not content with chew toys, this puppy soon moves on to floor coverings, walls, couches and even intimate apparel. He chases birds, jumps out of cars and humps legs. He's even kicked out of puppy school in a hilarious scene starring Kathleen Turner as the canine drill sergeant Ms Kornblut.But it's not all sweetness and light; there's a depth to the film which gives it an appeal beyond dog lovers. Many will identify with John's struggles to realise his career ambitions and the couple's problems with parenthood.It is in these scenes that Marley's true nature comes through. He may be naughtier than most pups, but he has a heart of gold. There's no cutesy voice-overs needed here; Marley's concern and love for his "family" are evident through his expressive brown eyes, his wagging tail or by the gentle placement of his head on his owner's lap.Marley, from playful puppy to an old dog, is played by 22 dogs in the film, but the transition is smooth, as it is with the couple's status from newlyweds to parents of three.There's not a huge support cast, but it's a good one including Eric Dane as Sebastian, John's very single and successful best friend and Alan Arkin as his hard but fair newspaper editor.The ending, while not a surprise to those who have read the book, will still pull on the heartstrings, but it's a fitting end to a thoroughly enjoyable film.
Credits