Marley and Me

I love films that feature animals, especially dogs, because somehow, as actors, they always manage to wiggle their way into the viewer’s heart.

While actors of the human variety often tend to be egotistical, temper-tantrum throwing adolescents, dogs tend to be happy no matter how many hours they are on the set each day. Give them a treat, a stroke, a tender smile, and they’ll do anything for you – on film and in real life.

This story is a heart-warming tale of a young couple who adopt a dog simply because the dog (Marley) is simply the cutest thing they’ve ever seen. Of course, the comedy aspect of this film is the very real fact that the couple have absolutely no idea what they are getting themselves into when they adopt this incorrigible yellow lab puppy.

The movie turns into a love story that will have you running for a box of Kleenex as Marley works his way into the hearts of his new family, despite the challenges he presents them with. Comedic moments are liberally interspersed as well, such as when he flunks out of obedience school and tests the patience of all those he meets with his irrepressible antics.

This film is so good because it’s well-executed. Just as Marley becomes a part of his on-screen family, you find him becoming a member of your own as well. Whether you love animals and most particularly dogs, or not – Marley and Me will cause you to look at man’s four-footed friends in a whole new light. It will also warm your heart and enrich your soul.