MARLEY & ME (2008) (***)
This isn't your typical dog movie. It's not about a young kid learning responsibility by owning a pet. The dog of the title, Marley, was journalist John Grogan's pet from early in his marriage to after his three kids were born. He wrote about his pet many times in his daily column and eventually wrote a best-selling book about "the worst dog ever." But the film really isn't about the dog. Marley is just a witness to Grogan's life.
The film begins with Grogan, played by Owen Wilson (THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS), getting married to fellow reporter Jennifer (Jennifer Aniston, TV's FRIENDS). He lands a reporter's job at a Florida newspaper where he dreams of doing big international stories like his friend Sebastian (Eric Dane, TV's GREY'S ANATOMY). When Jennifer starts discussing children, John buys her a puppy. Marley turns out to be a handful, destroying everything that he sees. Marley eats everything he can chew. He howls during thunderstorms. And letting him off his leash at the park or beach is always a mistake. After a few years, when John has settled into his new role as columnist, he feels ready for kids. As Jennifer eventually says, Marley is easy compared to raising children.