'Marley & Me' touches hearts, funny bones

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Although there didn’t seem to be a dry eye in the house during the preview, the crowd in the theater laughed during most of Marley’s comical romp through the life of journalists John and Jenny Grogan.

The movie, “Marley & Me” hits theaters on Christmas Day and features a Yellow Labrador retriever — Marley in the film.

And, with Jennifer Aniston portraying Jenny and Owen Wilson as John, the Grogans, who appeared in a cameo during a dog training scene, come to life on the big screen.

The movie begins with the young couple heading off to the balmy tropical weather of Florida. Both find jobs at competing newspapers, but John is struggling to find his niche while Jenny is forging forward with her career.

At the same time, the young couple is also contemplating finding their niche as parents. John shares his concerns with his friend and fellow journalist Sebastian Tunney, portrayed by Eric Dane.

As John relates that he is feeling unprepared to venture into parenthood, the resolute bachelor comes up with what he feels is the perfect solution. He tells John he should get Jenny a puppy.

“There’s nothing to it,” advises Sebastian. “You walk ‘em. You feed ‘em, you let ‘em out now and then.”

John mulls it over and shortly afterwards the young couple visits a breeder to just “take a look.” But as the other puppies in the litter snuggle quietly with each other, one active little pup keeps enthusiastically vying for their attention.

When the breeder offers them a discount, they leave with an agreement to purchase the active “clearance sale” puppy. Several weeks later, they return to pick up Marley.

You will roll with laughter as you watch this canine romp through life in unbridled joy as he tramples just about everything in sight. He turns the Grogan house into a disaster area. He chews through drywall during a thunderstorm, eats sofa cushions as an appetizer before developing an appetite for pillows and flowers and sipping from the ‘porcelain water bowl’ in the bathroom.

And just as a snack one day, he swallows the expensive new necklace John had given Jenny as a gift during her pregnancy as they started their family.

The audience was also crying tears of laughter as the dog was dismissed from obedience school. But when Marley tried to make a run for it on the way to the veterinarian he about brought the house down. While en route to be neutered, he squeezes through the window and runs alongside the car on his front paws with John precariously hanging onto his hind quarters.

However this movie is about more than just the antics of a dog. It is about the place that the four-pawed furry family members have in our homes and our lives.

In a news release from 20th Century Fox, John Grogan emphasized that “Marley & Me” is not a dog story. “When I wrote it, I didn’t think of it as a dog book, and I still don’t,” he said. “I saw it as a growth-of-a-family story, with the dog being a catalyst. It’s a comedy with a poignant side to it.”

Marley is their first “child,” but we see him as an integral part of the family. And we see the conflicts the Grogans go through when Marley’s behavior causes Jenny to want to get rid of him. But we also see the dog’s innate ability to know when to show compassion and when to go into protective mode to guard his family.

Marley sets a pace for their professional and personal life journey, becoming John’s muse for his newspaper column, their children’s playmate and a beloved family member.

Neither human nor canine pull any punches in this story. It portrays the dog and his caretakers with all of their foibles. The movie shows the life lessons that each species garners from the other while sharing the sometimes offbeat characteristics that make the human-animal relationship so endearing.

Information on selecting a dog, finding a reputable breeder, adopting a shelter or rescue dog, and responsible dog care were distributed at screenings of “Marley & Me”.

If you have never lived with a dog the story will provide invaluable insight into the bond that develops. And for those that have experienced both the joy and sorrows that ultimately come with caring for a canine companion, the Grogans’ story, as seen through the eyes of Marley, will touch not just your heart, but also your soul.

The movie, produced by Fox 2000 Pictures and Regency Enterprises, is based on John Grogan’s best-seller “Marley & Me.” To view a trailer of the film, visit marleyandmemovie.com/.

Marty van Duyne is a member of the Dog Writers Association of America. Reach her at info@staffordcountysun.com.