Jennifer Aniston in Marley & Me
“Marley & Me”, based on John Grogan’s memoir of the same name, starred Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston. It opened on Christmas Day of 2008, and was a commercial success. Most critics liked the drama comedy, noting good chemistry between Wilson and Aniston. Both Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston are more popular for their comedy films, but in this film they did not provide as much comedy as they used to.
The story of “Marley & Me” is simple; a married couple adopts a yellow Labrador retriever, and eventually it becomes a part of their family. Some people who haven’t seen the film might be reminded of movies that dealt with dogs, but unlike most dog movies “Marley & Me” is not purely comedy. In fact, it is not exactly about the dog, but the couple who adopted him. The movie showed how their relationship with each other and their dog progressed in fifteen years.
Jennifer Aniston played Jenny Grogan, wife of columnist John Grogan. At the start of the film she was considering getting pregnant. Not sure if she and her husband, played by actor Owen Wilson, were prepared to be parents, the couple decided to adopt a dog. They chose a puppy from a litter of newborn yellow Labrador puppies, and decided to name him Marley. But Marley turned out to be a rough, trouble-making dog. This was the main conflict and focus of the film, turning Marley into a good dog, and raising a family with Marley.
Marley did not really become a good, behaved dog in the film, but the family came to love him anyway. There were many times when Jenny wanted to give Marley away, due to the dog’s antics. But she realized that Marley had become a part of their family and decided to make him stay.
Marley the dog, just like most dogs, was entertaining and funny. The movie was definitely fun to watch. Not just dog-lovers can watch this film, since it also deals with relationships and mortality. The film conveyed a universal message that everybody can appreciate.