"Marley and Me"

[mbc1963]

Went to see this with my sister today. Good movie - cute, sweet. But the last 25 minutes were a weep fest! Some poor little girl in the row in front of me was literally bawling: full-on boo hoos and weeping. Oh, my!

 

Mary

[jrid]

I read the book and am planning to go see the movie this weekend. Am planning on taking a nice soft hankie with me.

[Barb Scott]

I totally agree although maybe an entire box of Kleenex would be appropriate. However, if they'd gotten a crate at the beginning, there'd have been no movie!

Barb S

[painted_ponies]

I just got back from seeing it with my two nephews. I have to say I'm [mostly] underwhelmed.

 

The film, for me anyway, lacked that over-the-top "OMG this dog's unstoppable" stuff that the book had. My nine year old nephew asked me, halfway through the movie, why the people didn't just buy a crate? Which, of course, in the book, they did, but it was no Match for Marley. See, the book made me feel better about my dog Faith. The movie dog(s)? Naaah. Faith's done worse stuff than that on her good days.

 

But, as a rescuer, I really like how both the book and the movie emphasized that giving up on Marley was never an option.

 

Oh, and did y'all notice that Marley did not come from a BYB in the movie? Since way more people will see this movie than will read the book, I'm happy they fudged the truth on that part.

[Laurae]

Oh, and did y'all notice that Marley did not come from a BYB in the movie? Since way more people will see this movie than will read the book, I'm happy they fudged the truth on that part.

 

Really? I thought that was a BYB! Especially since the individual pups were worth one of three different prices even though they came from the same litter

[painted_ponies]

Really? I thought that was a BYB! Especially since the individual pups were worth one of three different prices even though they came from the same litter

 

No, I don't think so. I'm pretty sure the woman says the dog was pregnant when they took her in and then had however many pups. I wondered about the price thing, too - we charge an adoption fee but it doesn't vary depending on gender, as it often does with BYB's. And we are left to wonder why Marley was the cheapest of the lot.

[Dal & Mad's Mom]

No, I don't think so. I'm pretty sure the woman says the dog was pregnant when they took her in and then had however many pups. I wondered about the price thing, too - we charge an adoption fee but it doesn't vary depending on gender, as it often does with BYB's. And we are left to wonder why Marley was the cheapest of the lot.

 

Was it here that I saw , the man who wrote the book was given a puppy from the movie making and it has severe hip dysplasia. I didnt see the movie and I will probably wait untill it comes out on Video. Although I always love a good tear jerker.

[afrancis]

Let me preface this by saying that I haven't read the book, nor have I seen the movie (although I haven't been spared the trailers ) and I'm really not a scrooge -- I normally LOVE dog movies -- but I think seeing this movie would drive me insane.

All I can see is people who buy a puppy because he's cute, have no clue about training, house-proofing, consistency, discipline, etc. and the story basically follows the poor dog's escapades through life spilling, breaking, eating, peeing on, running after and away from, and generally disobeying and destroying everyone and everything. Is this kind of behaviour being made 'cute'? Maybe I need a cocktail

Ailsa

[Ms.DaisyDuke]

I read the book and cried like a kazillion times and laughed out loud on public transit. I was not too keen on Jennifer Aniston and Owen Wilson being cast as the owners, but maybe it won't be so bad. I plan on watching it, but I also imagine we'll see a lot of yellow labs in rescue within the next year.....

[nancy]

The article that I saw said that the man who wrote the book was offered one of the dogs used in the film. The dog turned out to have severe hip dysplasia. But they love him and are keeping him, although the breeder offered a replacement. He said that, although it was not stated, he was sure the dog (something like Woodrow?) would be put down. And the family agreed that he was their dog and they do what he needed. He's had some expensive surgery, but he'll never run or go on long mountain hikes. They just love him.

[mbc1963]

Let me preface this by saying that I haven't read the book, nor have I seen the movie (although I haven't been spared the trailers ) and I'm really not a scrooge -- I normally LOVE dog movies -- but I think seeing this movie would drive me insane.

All I can see is people who buy a puppy because he's cute, have no clue about training, house-proofing, consistency, discipline, etc. and the story basically follows the poor dog's escapades through life spilling, breaking, eating, peeing on, running after and away from, and generally disobeying and destroying everyone and everything. Is this kind of behaviour being made 'cute'? Maybe I need a cocktail

Ailsa

 

Even as I was watching the movie, I leaned over and said to my sister, "Oh, the people on the BC Forum are going to have a field day with this guy's cluelessness as an owner." I'm a fairly low-key dog-lover type: not as versed in doggie politics and training as lots of folks on this board. But even I cringed when the seller offered the potential owners a puppy for cheaper than the rest of the puppies, and the potential owners didn't question why he was a discounted pup! Plus, the fact that they only seemed to try to train him once...

 

So... yes, serious dog folks might need a cocktail prior to seeing this movie. I believe we (serious dog folks) are represented by a dog owner the movie couple meets early on, who scolds them for letting an untrained pup go charging down the beach, and tells them their dog should never be off leash until they have absolute control. The movie couple giggles at the guy behind his back. I personally understood where he was coming from. (I would be the serious dog owner trying to control a reactive, leashed dog as a completely untrained, floppy yellow puppy came barreling at us down the beach.)

 

But if you can let go of your strong dog beliefs, you can enjoy the movie. It's actually quite a bit about the couple's progress through life: single, then happily married but carefree, then struggling with who they are once kids come into the picture. It certainly doesn't sugar-coat the difficult transition from independent human being to mother, that's for sure.

 

Mary

[beachdogz]

funny this came up. I received the book from my boss as a Christmas present. I never go to animal movies anymore, and don't even rent them. Last one I saw was Free Willy, and I embarrassed everyone with my crying. I cry at the happy endings, I cry at the sad ones, and I even cry if they are neither...I just cry because animals are so wonderful. And WHY do they always have to kill off the dog at the end?

 

This all started with Bambi...why'd they have to kill off his mother? Believe it or not, I never saw it as a child or knew the story, and I was horrified as a mother when I bought it for my toddlers and as we all watched it I realized the mother was killed!

 

I even have a hard time reading the memorials on this board...even though I never knew the dogs, I can feel the pain the owners feel.

 

My boss told me Marley dies in the end. Maybe I'll just read 3/4 of the book and make up my own ending. sigh.

[beachdogz]

ok, went down and read the ending (I'm one of those people who always reads the 1st chapter, the end, and then reads the whole book). I think I can make it through this book...it has pictures of Marley and the real family...but I don't know if I'll be able to make it through the movie when it comes out on dvd.

[Jack & Co.]

A review in one of our newspapers described it as the "new Old Yeller". Seeing as how Old Yeller and Black Beauty "scarred" me for life as far as animal movies go, I guess I'll pass on Marley. Oh yeah, I'll throw The Yearling in there also.

[painted_ponies]

Let me preface this by saying that I haven't read the book, nor have I seen the movie (although I haven't been spared the trailers ) and I'm really not a scrooge -- I normally LOVE dog movies -- but I think seeing this movie would drive me insane.

All I can see is people who buy a puppy because he's cute, have no clue about training, house-proofing, consistency, discipline, etc. and the story basically follows the poor dog's escapades through life spilling, breaking, eating, peeing on, running after and away from, and generally disobeying and destroying everyone and everything. Is this kind of behaviour being made 'cute'? Maybe I need a cocktail

Ailsa

 

Ailsa - that's exactly why I put off reading the book for so long. And the first third or so of the book really does make you want to slap the clueless owners. But then they really try to educate themselves. They try obedience classes -not the cartoonish one-time-only like in the movie, but several classes. And get kicked out. And they try a crate, which the dog proves himself able to destroy.

 

For me, the book dragged in the non-dog-places. The movie is worse, because there's lots more of those. But then, I'm not a mother so I really couldn't appreciate the transition from newlywed to family. Apparently though it's well done if you can relate to that sort of thing.

 

I didn't think it was all that sad at the end. Marley got to go the way I wish all my rescues could - after years and years of living with a family who loved him. Of course, it'll make you tear up if you've ever had to put a dog down, just because it reminds you of a really sad time in your own life.

[bc4ever]

I read the book and went to a lecture where the author was also having a book signing. My take on the book was that they were totally unprepared for the breed they got and were pretty much ineffective in their training methods--what few they had. I cried at the end when Marley died. I think I'll see the movie, although I may just wait for it to come out on DVD, which probably won't be long. Generally, the best parts of the movies are the trailers and I end up wishing I hadn't wasted so much money seeing it in the theatre.

[bcnewe2]

I saw the books author on a CM show. They have a new female lab that was killing their chickens. CM helped a bit but they also hired a field dog trainer to really help the pup learn what her instincts are all about. His wife was making the comitment to train the new dog. Hope it goes well for them.

 

I read the book a long time ago. Marley died after a long life and seemed very happy to me.

 

I'm not a movie goer but will sure watch it when comes out on video.

[afrancis]

But if you can let go of your strong dog beliefs, you can enjoy the movie. It's actually quite a bit about the couple's progress through life: single, then happily married but carefree, then struggling with who they are once kids come into the picture. It certainly doesn't sugar-coat the difficult transition from independent human being to mother, that's for sure.

 

I don't know Mary .... we'll have to disagree on this one I see their transition through life as being clueless, more clueless, and finally, beyond hope clueless (and it doesn't help with the choice of actors ). But then, I've never had kids, just men and dogs. I'm reading Patricia McConnell's The Other End of the Leash now -- I think I'll wait until that comes out as a movie

 

Ailsa - that's exactly why I put off reading the book for so long. And the first third or so of the book really does make you want to slap the clueless owners. But then they really try to educate themselves. They try obedience classes -not the cartoonish one-time-only like in the movie, but several classes. And get kicked out. And they try a crate, which the dog proves himself able to destroy.

 

For me, the book dragged in the non-dog-places. The movie is worse, because there's lots more of those. But then, I'm not a mother so I really couldn't appreciate the transition from newlywed to family. Apparently though it's well done if you can relate to that sort of thing.

 

Sally, from one non-mother to another,

If they had so much trouble figuring out how to manage this dog, how do they deal with an actual child?

I guess the old adage of having a dog to help prepare you for mother/fatherhood doesn't necessarily hold true...

Ailsa

...they get kicked out of obedience classes? Is this possible? And destroying a metal crate? How is THIS possible?

[border_collie_crazy]

lol yup, the real Marley got kicked out of obedience classes, eventualy they went back and managed to finnish the class...barley. they got kicked out after the trainer got annoyed grabbed Marleys leash to show them hows its done... he sent her flying accross the feild and bruised her ego so she kicked them out lol. and yes they tried a crate too, put him in a metal crate, and went out for the night feeling at ease for the first time ever..came home to the dog peeking out the window and his crate destroyed.

[painted_ponies]

...they get kicked out of obedience classes? Is this possible? And destroying a metal crate? How is THIS possible?

 

It's been awhile since I read the book - actually I listened to it as an audiobook - but I thought Marley got kicked out because he wouldn't leave the other dogs in the class alone. But I might be wrong. Anyway, his human did continue working with him privately and eventually he returned to graduate. The crate thing happened, again IIRC, because Marley was severely storm phobic and in a panic managed to tear the crate door off its moorings?

[Ooky]

I got dragged out to see this today because I'm a "new dog person". I was happy for the time with my family, and cried just like the whole theatre. But I agree with Alisa in that most of the movie is not especially watchable. Leaving behind the "bad dog owner" stuff (I felt my BC-boards education had served me well with how much I winced at their "training" methods), I just thought it was a chick flick of the worst order - championing a very sexist, classist, work-towards-the-status-quo message. So, spoiler alert----They would have never been able to afford those houses on one salary, first of all - but that is what the movie seems to indicate an American family is "owed". When the mom decides to quit her job, which initially is much more successful than her husband's, it is touted as a good decision, which it very well might have been. But this career-oriented woman had a very hard time losing her connections to the outside world, and therefore became a shrew for a good portion of the movie, even taking it out on the blameless untrained dog. Then her husband and all the others in his life (he is still allowed and able to have adult conversations with others) decide she must have postpartum depression (undiagnosed, as far as we know). This really messed with the main character's existential mid-life crisis about whether his career was really, really, EXACTLY what he had always wanted to do, so I guess the wife should count herself lucky HE was so understanding for HER womanly, hormonal condition. What about her existential crisis from changing everything about her life to support the lifestyle? Oh yeah, that's right - she doesn't need one of THOSE, as she's right where she should be, the place for his arrow to launch from (a Bell Jar reference). Typical modern chick flick!

 

Whatever. I still thought the dogs were cute and cried like a baby at the end.

[btrent]

I went to the movie on Christmas Day with a several dog friends--all "dog people" (including a die-hard Lab aficionado, and Terv, Border Collie, Sheltie folk). We all enjoyed it and it was better than we expected. The characters were developed much more so than we were led to believe from the commercials. It's worth a look. Yes the end is a tear-jerker, only because it reminded everyone of their own experiences with that age of dog. I had not read the book first; maybe that helped. Yes, the owners are clueless but that's reality in some cases. We particularly enjoyed the Alan Arkin character. FWIW...or just put it on your Netflix list.

[SoloRiver]

Solo has damaged and escaped chain-link kennels and wire crates due to separation anxiety, and he is not as large as most Labs.

[afrancis]

Solo has damaged and escaped chain-link kennels and wire crates due to separation anxiety, and he is not as large as most Labs.

 

Yikes!

But, enquiring minds want to know: Have you seen the movie?

Ailsa

[haleigh]

My friend tried getting me to see it, but I personally HATED the book, so I refused the movie. I cringe when I see clueless owners, and I want to yank the dogs right out of the book/movie/tv show and take care of them the proper way.

 

The other thing that got to me was how the guys newer dog ended up on CM because it was killing chickens. It's hard for me to watch that episode (even though I think CM is a worthless piece of crap, but thats for another time) as a person who has reasonable insight on certain dog psychology and training. So, all in all, I really don't want to see it.