Marmaduke parents guide

Marmaduke Parent Guide

This adaptation from newspaper comic strip to the big screen seems too ambitious even for an animal as huge as this Great Dane.

Overall B-

Re-envisioning the comic strip, Marmaduke (voiced by Owen Wilson) is a big part of his human family's life. But when the Winslows (Lee Pace and Judy Greer) move, the Great Dane has to find new friends at the dog park while making a good impression on his master's boss (William H, Macy).

Release date June 4, 2010

Violence B-
Sexual Content A-
Profanity A-
Substance Use B

Why is Marmaduke rated PG? The MPAA rated Marmaduke PG for some rude humor and language.

Run Time: 89 minutes

Official Movie Site

Parent Movie Review

Hollywood seems to be in the recycling mode and this screenplay feels like something that has been warmed over and served again. Think of it as High School Musical with a four-legged cast. With just a little less singing and a little more sniffing, it even has a choreographed dance scene, belligerent bullies, overworked parents, awkward moments of romance and a few flatulence jokes.

For young audience members who haven’t already seen the plot a million times, the talking dogs (courtesy of CGI) may be enough to keep their attention. But for parents, the hackneyed storyline and animated animals are more torturous than entertaining.

It all begins when Marmaduke (voiced by Owen Wilson) moves from Kansas to California after his master Phil Winslow (Lee Pace) accepts a new marketing job for an organic dog food company. Phil’s barefoot boss, Don Twombly (Willaim H. Macy) likes to conduct business meetings at the dog park, so Marmaduke gets to come along for the ride. Like any awkward teen, the dog is worried about making new friends. Fortunately he meets three mutts, Mazie (voiced by Emma Stone), Raisin (voiced by Steve Coogan) and Giuseppe (voiced by Christopher Mintz-Plasse), who introduce him to the park’s dos and don’ts. Yet what Marmaduke really wants is to get in with the pedigreed canines that sun themselves on an exclusive rock formation. He especially desires to get cozy with the collie Jezebel (voice by Stacy Ferguson).

Meanwhile Phil is so caught up in the concerns of a new ad campaign that he overlooks the needs of his wife (Judy Greer) and children (Caroline Sunshine, Finley Jackson, and Mandy and Milana Haines). As with any well-used script, the audience knows things will work out in the end but not before Marmaduke and Phil come to grips with their misplaced aspirations.

Luckily the movie contains minimal content concerns for young viewers. The oversized mutt gets into trouble after his party guests trash the house while the Winslows are away. Some moments of peril occur when Marmaduke tries surfing and later when he and Mazie are swept into an underground water drainage pipe that leads to the L.A. aqueduct system. On a dark and stormy night, Marmaduke also stumbles upon the legendary and elusive rabid dog known as Chupadogra.

While the film comes around to the obligatory warm and fuzzy ending designed to bring harmony to the animal kingdom, this adaptation from newspaper comic strip to the big screen seems too ambitious even for an animal as huge as this Great Dane.

Directed by Tom Dey. Starring Owen Wilson, Judy Greer, Lee Pace, William H. Macy. Running time: 89 minutes. Theatrical release June 4, 2010. Updated

Marmaduke
Rating & Content Info

Why is Marmaduke rated PG? Marmaduke is rated PG by the MPAA for some rude humor and language.

Violence: A cat is tossed through the air, punched and bitten. During an unsanctioned house party, the guests trash the home. Animals urinate on several occasions including into a man’s drink. A group of dogs bully and threaten a newcomer. Animals are trapped in a water drainage pipe. A man rescues an animal from an aqueduct. A child lies to his parents.

Sexual content: The film contains a couple of flatulence gags.

Language: Some mild name-calling is included.

Alcohol and Drug Use: Animals experience drug-like hallucinations after eating mushrooms. Two animals are given sedatives before being put on a plane. Mild innuendo includes comments about drinking drainpipe water.

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Marmaduke Parents' Guide

After running away from home, Marmaduke passes an electronics store that is showing the movie Old Yeller. How are the dogs in these two stories similar? How does each of them become heroes for their families?

What responsibilities come with dog ownership? How does Phil’s attitude change toward his family and Marmaduke?

Home Video

The most recent home video release of Marmaduke movie is August 31, 2010. Here are some details…

Marmaduke releases on August 31, 2010 in Blu-ray and DVD formats. These packages include the following Bonus extras:

Marmaduke (Two-Disc: Blu-Ray Disc/DVD Combo Pack)

- Copy of Marmaduke on Blu-ray

- Cowabarka! Surfing Dogs

- Canine Casting

- Marmaduke Mayhem! Gag Reel

- Deleted Scenes

- Puppy Marmaduke and Kitty Carlos: Home Movies

- DVD copy of Marmaduke in widescreen.

Marmaduke (Single Disc DVD)

- DVD copy of Marmaduke in widescreen.

- Cowabarka! Surfing Dogs

- Canine Casting

- Deleted Scenes

Related home video titles:

In a live-action remake of the 1960s cartoon character Underdog, a disgraced police dog trainee dons a crime fighting costume and sets out to save the citizens of Capital City. A novice pet owner discovers some unique qualities about his new puppy in Good Boy! Two orphans rescue homeless mutts and house them in a Hotel for Dogs in order to protect them from the dogcatcher. Actor Owen Wilson played the master instead of the mutt in Morley and Me.