Marley & Me parents guide

Marley & Me Parent Guide

Overall B

Whoever said that a dog was man's best friend had obviously never met Marley! Although amazingly cute, the amazingly difficult yellow lab is wreaking havoc on the home and personal life of his owners, John and Jennifer Grogan (Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston).

Release date December 25, 2008

Violence B-
Sexual Content C+
Profanity C+
Substance Use B

Why is Marley & Me rated PG? The MPAA rated Marley & Me PG for thematic material, some suggestive content and language.

Run Time: 120 minutes

Official Movie Site

Parent Movie Review

Kids have been crying in movies about dogs for years. Now Marley & Me reinvents the classic canine formula and offers an adult movie about a pup that pretty much guarantees—no matter how grown-up you are—that you will be digging for a tissue before the credits roll.

John and Jennifer Grogan (Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston) are newspaper journalists who start their lifetime journey together in Florida. Jennifer literally has a checklist of things she is determined to accomplish, and as she approaches the motherhood box, John becomes stressed. Taking advice from a friend, he introduces a cute little puppy into their marriage with the hope that Marley will satisfy any maternal cravings his wife may be feeling.

Yet Marley proves to be far more than a woman’s best friend. The energetic pooch is next to impossible to control, and soon their small home is tossed, ripped and shredded. Even obedience school is a washout after Marley tackles the teacher and begins rubbing himself against her leg. A visit to the vet puts his sexual inclinations in check, but it still doesn’t keep him from getting into constant trouble—trouble that turns out to be the key to John’s career. After reluctantly accepting a new job assignment as a fill-in columnist at the paper, the once hard-core reporter finds a new niche as a humorous writer recounting the antics of his pet.

And that’s only the beginning…

Marley becomes the backbone of this story that naturally unfolds and looks at the highs and lows of life, including having children, making career decisions, moving and—eventually—having to say goodbye. The film’s ability to illustrate poignant moments within marriage (which ring true) make it a rare entry on the marquee. And Wilson and Aniston are surprisingly sensitive in their roles, rendering subtle overtones to their performances.

The film’s other unique feature is its portrayal of a happily married couple who pull together during difficult times (“Mend it, don’t end it,” says John) and laugh together when life gives them a break. This marital bliss sometimes results in sexual situations that, for the most part, shouldn’t be too troubling for adults, but may give reason to pause before sharing the movie with the kids. Considering the MPAA PG rating, scenes with sexual banter about Marley losing his manhood, some canoodling on a squeaky bed and a late night naked swim in a backyard pool (no nudity seen) may push some family boundaries.

Topics like pregnancy and childbirth are discussed, along with the serious situation of a neighborhood girl who endures a non-fatal stab wound from a boyfriend (the act is not seen). Scatological humor is another recurring theme, especially when John needs to search the backyard for a valuable item Marley has ingested.

This “mature” content is somewhat regrettable as the second half of the film could create valuable conversation starters for parents and children about animal care, love and sacrifice. Overall, Marley & Me takes audiences on a thoughtful walk through life and illustrates how determination and perseverance pays off when it’s applied to marriage, raising children—and even taming a disobedient dog.

Starring Owen Wilson, Jennifer Aniston. Running time: 120 minutes. Theatrical release December 25, 2008. Updated

Marley & Me
Rating & Content Info

Why is Marley & Me rated PG? Marley & Me is rated PG by the MPAA for thematic material, some suggestive content and language.

This movie about a young family who loves their dog presents some emotional situations related to pet ownership that may be troubling for young children. Sexual innuendo is heard (including discussions about having the dog neutered and the subsequent loss of his manhood), along with the occasional use of a crude anatomical term. A couple discusses having children and twice are shown in the beginning stages of sex (they are still clothed). Another scene has them disrobing and swimming in their backyard pool—no explicit nudity is seen. A dog sexually rubs himself against people and objects. Women are seen in bikinis at the beach. A teen-aged girl is stabbed by her boyfriend—the act is not shown on screen but a little blood is briefly seen. Language includes the use of a couple of moderate and mild profanities, a scatological expletive and terms of deity. A couple drinks to celebrate their marriage.

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Marley & Me Parents' Guide

What elements of life does this script portray that are not usually seen on movie screens? Do you think films like this, which portray the common and mundane, are still entertaining?

What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of pet ownership? Why do you think animals play such a large part in many cultures, both in the past and present?

Home Video

The most recent home video release of Marley & Me movie is March 31, 2009. Here are some details…

Release Date: 31 March 2009

Marley & Me releases in one, two or three disc versions. The Single DVD, which is presented in widescreen format, pats you on the head with additional deleted scenes and a gag reel. Audio tracks are available in 5.1 Dolby Surround (English, Spanish and French), with subtitles in English, Spanish and French.

If you are a really good boy, the Two-Disc Special Edition DVD (also in widescreen) rewards you with 19 deleted scenes (with commentary by director David Frankel), a gag reel and five featurettes (Finding Marley, Breaking the Golden Rule, On Set with Marley: Dog of All Trades, Animal Adoption and When Not to Pee), along with the Purina Dog Chow Marley & Me Video Contest Finalists and the Purina Dog Chow Video Hall of Fame. This package includes a Digital Copy. Audio tracks are available in 5.1 Dolby Surround (English), Dolby Surround Sound (Spanish and French), with subtitles in English and Spanish.

The Three-Disc Blu-Ray Edition treats you with a Blu-ray and DVD copy of the movie (in widescreen), as well as all the bonus extras found on the 2-disc DVD version, a Dog Training Trivia Track and Dog Training 101 (featuring a BonusView video). This package offers audio tracks recorded in 5.1 DTS HD Master Audio—Lossless (English) and Dolby Surround Sound 5.1 (Spanish, French and Portuguese), and subtitles in Spanish, Portuguese, Cantonese, Mandarin and Korean.

 

Related home video titles:

Another difficult Labrador worms his way into the heart of a family in Old Yeller. The more positive effects of puppy love are explored in My Dog Skip and Here Comes Clifford.

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