Some people frequently go out of their way to care for dogs in a way I cannot fathom. A friend of mine entered a period of depression after her dog died. Some people pay more for vet fees than for their medical expenses.
If you are one of those people, this film will make you ball your eyes out. But I found it long, uninteresting, and lacking in the organization department.
Marley and Me is based on the book by John Grogan, but I can't help but wonder how a dog can play such an important role in someone's life. As you watch the movie, it's as if he would have no life, no springboard for success, if you will, if he hadn't gotten the dog.
But back to the movie itself, Owen Wilson is his usual self and a bit more as he plays a more serious character (compared to his typical comedic roles). His comical timings are welcomed in the movie's initial stages, but as the story progresses, he gets increasingly uncomfortable, in parallel with his character.
Jennifer Aniston's character also evolves into someone completely different than when she started. She plays it well enough to be pleasant, but somehow it doesn't feel like she appears on screen a lot.
And Marley, oh Marley. Having a dog on set is probably the director's first major headache, what with trainers and different aged dogs for various scenes. There were some funny scenes with the dog, and the ending begs for tears from a dog lover. As much as I love dogs, I probably did not resonate well with the movie.
Watch it for some intelligent quirks and be prepared for long lots of draggy, stagnant storytelling and acting.