MOVIE REVIEW: Marley & Me (PG)

There’s nothing Hollywood loves more than our four-legged friends. The dog-related family comedy has a strong pedigree (sorry), with the success of films like Beethoven, Turner & Hooch and 101 Dalmations lining movie history. A huge Christmas hit stateside, The Devil Wears Prada director David Frankel brings us Marley & Me, based on the book by John Grogan.

The film follows John Grogan (Owen Wilson) and his wife Jennifer (Jennifer Aniston), meeting them just after their wedding. With Jennifer brooding, John buys her Marley - a Dalmatian puppy that is, by their owner’s admission, the world’s worst dog. Tearing up their home and terrorising their Floridian neighbourhood, the furry tearaway at first drives the couple insane, but as their life and careers progress, they find that he teaches them more about life and what’s important than they thought possible.

In a lot of ways it’s not a movie about a naughty dog. It’s more about John and Jennifer growing up, feeling their way through marriage, parenthood and all the roles we face through our lives. But in other ways, the dog reflects where they are in the world, and is almost like their first child. He helps them through hard times (as well as occasionally exacerbating them), but also is part of the happy times as well. Really, it’s a film about having a dog - they aren’t necessarily the main focus of your life, but they are part of what makes it special.

Two huge leads would always attract attention, and reading both Wilson and Aniston’s name may lead you to think this is a standard rom-com. Not so, dear readers, as both handle the spotlight well considering almost all the focus is on them. Wilson tones down the wackiness of his previous performances to give us a funny but believable protagonist. Aniston does feel like a slightly more serious version of her Friends character, a comparison she may never fully shed, but she gets through the tougher scenes and the pair make a believable couple. Alan Alda is as hilarious as ever, playing John’s dour editor.

A weak point is that it can be a little too slushy, and those looking for ultra realism will not find much here. These are, however, very small gripes, as on the whole this is a great tale about the things that make life what it is. To non-animal lovers, it may mean very little, but if you’ve ever been cheered up by a cold nose and a wagging tail, and you can hold back the tears at the heart-breaking ending, Marley & Me will be a delight.

Marley & Me is out March 13.