Marley & Me — 3-Disc Bad Dog Edition Blu-ray Review
Marley & Me
We'll say this up front: Dog lovers will adore Marley & Me. But that doesn't necessarily rule everyone else out. Based on the best-selling novel by John Grogan, the film tells the story of a young couple who, before raising a baby, gives raising a puppy a try. Marley is a beautiful Labrador... but he also happens to be a one-pup wrecking machine in the Grogan household. But like any family film, the owners ultimately learn that their pooch brings out the best in them.
As the exasperated dog owners, Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston have a lot of chemistry. (A good thing, since many looked at this film as yet another career kickstart for both actors.) The supporting cast, including Grey's Anatomy's Eric Dane, is also quite good. The film certainly looks sharp in Blu-ray's 1080 resolution, but compared to the standard DVD release (oddly also included in this set), it doesn't change the movie-watching experience enough to warrant the extra cash if you're looking to cut corners.
The extras include commentary from director David Frankel (The Devil Wears Prada) and 11 deleted scenes. Also included — and also in HD — are several featurettes, the best of which look at the film's central theme ("Breaking the Golden Rule") and explore the 22 dogs it took to portray Marley throughout the film.
The canine hijinks provide most of the laughs, but Wilson and Aniston give the film heart. Perhaps what the movie does best is mix in comedy, romance, and family film vibes, without ever choosing a side. Normally that's a bad thing, but in this case, the hodgepodge works, providing a hybrid that will put a smile on the face of everyone in your family...even the non dog lovers.
