I saw the movie with grandkids aged 5 through 12. I had listened to the audiobook and enjoyed it very much. After listening to the book, it seemed to be what could have been a family movie. John Grogan's storytelling in the book made Marley seem both incorrigible and lovable. The movie, it seemed, spend more time on John Grogan's angst about his career, inferred angst about his loss of bachelorhood, and his anxiety about having and taking care of kids. In proportion, the movie, "Marley & Me", was mostly Me with Marley thrown in almost as a subplot. There did not seem to be much humor, what there was, often being crude, in my opinion. There was, of course, some sadness at the end. From feedback I got from the grandkids, the 5 and 8 year old were amused by some of Marley's antics, but bored with the rest of the plot. The 12 year old could appreciate more of the personal interactions that often seemed to overshadow the dog story.
Bottom line: As usual, the book was better than the movie and seemed to stay more on topic. The movie version was hijacked by screenwriters who had some other view on the story other than Marley and John Grogan. While advertised as a "family movie", I would say that it was more of a 12 and older movie.
Bottom line: As usual, the book was better than the movie and seemed to stay more on topic. The movie version was hijacked by screenwriters who had some other view on the story other than Marley and John Grogan. While advertised as a "family movie", I would say that it was more of a 12 and older movie.