As a translator of the Romanian edition of "Marley & Me", I had the privilege to reach into the depths of the book, and thus become even more aware of the movie's faults. First of all, the script mistakenly keeps too close to the (real-life) story - which is simply forbidden, when we want to tell a story with the camera. Cinema has its own rules, and any road that departs them will point fatefully to boredom - at least.
One of the main problems is that so many of the truly significant feats of Marley, those that helped his family discover the true meanings of life, are featured only in... words, while the visible actions center only around the same and same burlesque scenes. The dog's undoubtful love and loyalty to his masters is shown only in his routine jumps all over them, when coming back home. And the dogs themselves, those who played Marley's role at various ages, are sorely inexpressive - except the puppy at the beginning, who's adorable indeed (but this is his own merit, and the one of God - not of the movie makers)! However, "Marley & Me" gathers momentum in the last section, when it discovers indeed its own meaning: that of empathetically depicting the tragic demise of the hero. My own pitbull girl, Arella Bonnie Wagner's, was put to sleep in June 5, 2008, after ten years of happily living together, so I lived again those moments all along the final scenes, and I can safely state: SO IT IS. A Dog's departing back to our Creator is indeed a unique heartbreak. At least for this, I must pay my respects to David Frankel: although he sucks at comedy, he really does have a genuine tragic thrill - which, in itself, is more than enough.
By the way - children shouldn't be shown this movie without parental advice. The excruciating good-bye of Marley can easily become more traumatic than a whole host of Rambo-like and Saw-wise slaughter scenes!
One of the main problems is that so many of the truly significant feats of Marley, those that helped his family discover the true meanings of life, are featured only in... words, while the visible actions center only around the same and same burlesque scenes. The dog's undoubtful love and loyalty to his masters is shown only in his routine jumps all over them, when coming back home. And the dogs themselves, those who played Marley's role at various ages, are sorely inexpressive - except the puppy at the beginning, who's adorable indeed (but this is his own merit, and the one of God - not of the movie makers)! However, "Marley & Me" gathers momentum in the last section, when it discovers indeed its own meaning: that of empathetically depicting the tragic demise of the hero. My own pitbull girl, Arella Bonnie Wagner's, was put to sleep in June 5, 2008, after ten years of happily living together, so I lived again those moments all along the final scenes, and I can safely state: SO IT IS. A Dog's departing back to our Creator is indeed a unique heartbreak. At least for this, I must pay my respects to David Frankel: although he sucks at comedy, he really does have a genuine tragic thrill - which, in itself, is more than enough.
By the way - children shouldn't be shown this movie without parental advice. The excruciating good-bye of Marley can easily become more traumatic than a whole host of Rambo-like and Saw-wise slaughter scenes!