I don't really see the point this movie was trying to make - Marley & Me (2008) Discussion

My thoughts exactly.

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If you ever had a pet for a long period of time, especially from "babyhood" to its old age, you look back and realize how much it has gone through with you. I look at pictures of me growing up and see my first cat at every milestone. There I am as a preschooler pushing him around in a doll carriage. Then I am in fifth grade and we are playing out in the snow. And there is one of the last pictures of us together--me, a gangly teenager in junior high, holding him in my backyard. He wasn't Lassie--he never rescued me from a well or found me when I was lost. But he didn't have to be. He never had to do anything extraordinary to make an impact on my life except share it with me. I think that was the point of this movie

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[–] mlee1919 15 years ago

Yep, Holly-rock, you just said it all. Good for you. Good for us.

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[–] mrs-rocky-dog 14 years ago

EXCELLENT reply - you are spot on!

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[–] simba122504 14 years ago

holly-rock said it all.

I'm glad Obama won, but I will not jump on the Pro-Choice bandwagon

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[–] yetanothermoviegeek 14 years ago

I'm really hoping this doesn't sound sarcastic, because it's not, at all. Not only was that dead on but those last three sentences were absolutely beautiful. Not to discredit the rest of the post.

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[–] gbeach 10 years ago

He wasn't Lassie--he never rescued me from a well or found me when I was lost. But he didn't have to be. He never had to do anything extraordinary to make an impact on my life except share it with me.

I'm sure anyone who's ever had a dog will get choked up reading that.

Well said and so very true.

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[–] emerset 10 years ago

That paragraph was *beep* beautiful.

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[–] TheDarkKnightMatter 9 years ago

But Marley was a destructive dog who needed Ceasar Milan. It destroyed everything and had no sense of kids. It krpt a baby awaken, knocked the the other one down constantly. This is a movie about nothing catered to dog owners who praised their dogs whether they are good or bad. Some dogs can't be trained, Marley was one. I would of put it down when it destroyed the house when on vacation.

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[–] Livana_Faolan 9 years ago

But Marley was a destructive dog who needed Ceasar Milan. It destroyed everything and had no sense of kids. It krpt a baby awaken, knocked the the other one down constantly. This is a movie about nothing catered to dog owners who praised their dogs whether they are good or bad. Some dogs can't be trained, Marley was one. I would of put it down when it destroyed the house when on vacation.

If it's true that you'd put a dog down because of that, then I hope no dog will ever experience the misfortune of having you as its owner.

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[–] eileen-guthrie555 8 years ago

Well, then I really hope you never get a dog. Dog/puppy owners are generally more forgiving. We know they can destroy furniture, walls, pee on fake plants, and try some of the adults in its life patience. Everything is fixable. But you really need to understand they are curious, very frighten when they are left alone especially puppies, they're frightened in the beginning and for most dogs thunder and lightening storms are scary. They don't understand it and are scared. They love you know matter what or who you are unconditionally. It's not hard to love them, but when you show them love they will always love you back.

Some dogs can't be trained, Marley was one. I would of put it down when it destroyed the house when on vacation.

John Grogan made his living as a writer by telling Marley's stories and adventures in his Philadelphia newspaper column, everyone who owned a dog read it and found his stories amusing and fun. He had a huge following after a few months. John made his living off of Marley, in a newspaper column, a book and then a movie. After all the things Marley did they still loved him no matter what, and he was a still a member of their family and they all mourned his death. People aren't perfect so why would you ever think a dog would be? Do the dog lovers of the world a favor and never get a dog. You don't have the temperament, understanding and forgiveness that are needed when you bring a new puppy or dog into your family. Get a cat, they will ignore you and it's more your speed. 🐾🐾🐈

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[–] winstonsims431 8 years ago

true
"Touchdoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooown Auburn"

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[–] Kmarsh28 8 years ago

Exactly. Those who don't understand this movie never had a dog or cat for a long time

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[–] Sam-953-169285 8 years ago

You are talking about pets and this discussion is about the movie.

I have lost a few cats, some that I really cared about. The last one was a real buddy, but they all were special in some way. This movie did not make me feel anything for Marley.

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[–] megan-262 15 years ago

"It's just 2 hours of a plain family life without any real ordeal during a dog's lifetime."

I think that's all it's really supposed to be. I think the author of the book, the character "John" was just telling his story. I took it to be about all of the changes that happened in his life, and Marley was a constant through all of it. In the beginning he kind of wasn't sure what he wanted, got the dog, they had kids, they moved, and the dog was always there. I think that's all the story is - I liked it, I don't think it needed a moral or anything. It's just Marley's story.

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[–] 15 years ago

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[–] SCY385-1 14 years ago

I think your post is right. This was not supposed to be a story with lots of plot points. It is a film based on the normal everyday life of a couple who get the World's most rambunctious dog. During that time they have children and Marley remains a constant and very funny part of their family. That's it and that's all. I have heard a lot of people complain about the plot of the film. In real life stuff happens and people roll with it. Sometimes they roll funny, sometimes not. That in my opinion is the tone of the film. Normal people with kids and a really crazy dog. If someone is looking for something more complicated this movie would not be for that person.

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[–] Sam-953-169285 8 years ago

But there really is not much about the dog except that he was a bad dog.

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[–] scs0 14 years ago

>>I think that's all it's really supposed to be. I think the author
>>of the book, the character "John" was just telling his story.

I agree, that's all it needed to be. Sometimes movies are ruined by attempting to make their stories too important. This reminds me of the show Angel because one of the things I didn't like about it was how the show became so apocalyptic towards the end with all of these highly-powerful extra-dimensional demons bent on destroying the world. I think the show would have worked much better with smaller-scale, in-the-shadows demonic activities than the bigger-than-life disasters they adverted. Those kinds of things made much more sense on Buffy due to her uniqueness as "The Chosen One" and the hellmouth.

====
Mixing Hollywood idiocy with politics is an Obamanation.

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[–] Sam-953-169285 8 years ago

Yes, movies always spoil things by degrading into violence and destruction. The problem is that most of this story about Marley was about destruction.

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[–] MovieGuy1998 15 years ago

quote:
It's just 2 hours of a plain family life without any real ordeal during a dog's lifetime. That's all.
end quote:

Exactly, and what's wrong with that? We get to drop in on a family, who's life centers around a dog.

What's wrong with that?

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[–] kelsci 15 years ago

Perhaps so, but this film was a BORE.

raygun-3

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[–] spacehogwarts 15 years ago

I totally agree. I'm sure there's nothing wrong with being a boring film, but at least don't make it seem like I'm wasting my life.

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[–] littlemichaelmyers 15 years ago

quote:
It's just 2 hours of a plain family life without any real ordeal during a dog's lifetime. That's all.
end quote:

Exactly, and what's wrong with that? We get to drop in on a family, who's life centers around a dog.

What's wrong with that?

Nothings wrong with that, except it makes for a really pointless, boring, badly acted movie. Ooh goody, we get to drop in on a family whose life centers around a dog!!!
And what the hell happened to Jennifer's face? Did She get hit with a shovel in a deleted scene?

SHUT THE *beep* UP DONNIE

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[–] the_darkness_of_poetic_humor 15 years ago

It's called age. I remember Jennifer Aniston I think in every People magazine she's ever been on and for the life of me anymore, I can't believe I'm actually seeing someone as beautiful as her age rapidly.

This movie was nothing, you should see her in Management....you can clearly see her aging in that one.

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[–] diegoavilarodriguez 13 years ago

"And what the hell happened to Jennifer's face? Did She get hit with a shovel in a deleted scene?"

are *beeping* kidding me? she may not be Rachel Green young anymore but she still hot as *beep*

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[–] snow-crash 14 years ago

I actually would go one step further and say, that, if a dog is that resistant to any training, you have every right to hate it. And don't tell me that you love it anyway, because it's part of the family - even if someone is family, you can hate them, if they act moronic on a consistent basis. And the way it is portrayed, it did just that.

But apparently that was the director's intent. As I discovered in the DVD's deleted scenes, they cut out the one scene where Marley actually did something good, i.e. catch the guy that stabbed their neighbour. Not even that one feeling they let the audience have. Anyway, I ended up hating Marley, and cannot help but think that family was better off without him.

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[–] mrs-rocky-dog 14 years ago

Better off without him??!!?? I guess you've never loved a dog before and I feel truly sorry that you have missed out on a dog's love because it is the purest love you will ever find.

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[–] Sam-953-169285 8 years ago

They deleted a part where Marley did something good? That is terrible. It is stupid, really stupid, to delete that.

Maybe they deleted it due to violence, but they should have replaced it with something that showed the good that the dog did.

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[–] NobuoUematsufan 14 years ago

then I hope for all animals sake that you don't ever get a pet. They do get into things, and they do break things. And cleaning up after them takes work. But that work is what makes dog lovers believe that their dog is part of their family. And I hope you don't have kids either, because they get into things too... and I don't believe they'll let you put them down when they misbehave.

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[–] rosh2 14 years ago

well said NobuoUematsufan. This family loved their dog. And when you get a pet or have kids you take the good with the bad. And I agree not to be offensive but the previous poster seems like they should not get a pet.

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[–] 14 years ago

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[–] biehnbrain 14 years ago

Next time, instead of watching an overrated, boring movie about a couple who fight a lot, have kids they didn't plan on but love dearly, and otherwise live mundane, average, uninteresting lives while they happen to be faithful to a crappy dog, I'll visit my parents house instead.

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[–] mrs-rocky-dog 14 years ago

If you have to ask why they loved the dog then I agree that you shouldn't be allowed to have pets.

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[–] Sam-953-169285 8 years ago

The movie showed no good reason to feel good about the dog. It did not show the dog being good, only bad. I hope you have experienced pets that are good. All animals are capable of being good but this movie did not show that.

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[–] rdartigu 14 years ago

Marley lived a nice full life. The story in the movie spans approximately 15 years - which is more or less the life span of dogs.

Dogs DIE after 15 years, people. Get over it.

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[–] gemma375 14 years ago

I think most people who has ever had a pet they loved will "get" the point of this movie.
First of all, Marley is a symbol of complete unselfish, undying love and loyalty. He's an image of innocence and happiness. He is what a dog ultimately is, when you consider that "good" dogs have been trained to behave in a certain way. Marley is pure, unaltered and full of fun and enthusiasm and most of all has his own personality and attitude. 80% of the time if one of my pets makes me laugh its because they're showing me attitude or being a bit naughty because it shows they are their own animal - each one is completely different in their personalities. Plus, every happy memory I have of my animals are when they've done something unexpected, or naughty or cheeky because it makes me laugh.
Also, Marley shows that no matter how "bad" an animal may be, never take them for granted because they will play such a massive role in your life and they will always love you through everything. They're constant and you can depend on them no matter what - unlike people. Never take them for granted, because when they are gone, you will realise just how much they meant to you.
One of my pets died just a couple of months before I saw Marley & Me for the first time, and I was crying like crazy because I just 'got' the entire thing.

Oh, and as for the person who said that they don't get why you'd love a dog like this when you can hate relatives, etc, the difference is that any rational person wouldn't get angry at an animal for just showing youthful cheekiness, because animals are not like humans. They don't know what they're doing is 'bad', they just like to play and cause mischief because its FUN, and isn't that what most people are missing in life?

Basil: You Nitwit!!
Manuel: What is Witnit?

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[–] 14 years ago

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[–] gemma375 14 years ago

Funnily enough, I wanna do the same thing to humans like you...
You're the perfect example of people that don't understand animals, a person that wants a "pet" to show off without having to put in the work, or put up with them doing only what's in their nature. I feel for any animals you get, stuck with an owner as selfish as you... well until you "give it away or put it down" for being anything less than perfect.

Basil: You Nitwit!!
Manuel: What is Witnit?

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[–] unicornpeg2003 14 years ago

I just finished watching this movie and was continually reminded of my lab/chow mix. He chewed up gates I had to repeatedly have replaced. He chewed through walls I had to have repaired. He chewed up all kinds of things and didn't obey my commands. What he also did was love me and my daughters for his entire life. He gave us joy and laughter in so many of the things he did. He was there when we had rough times and made us feel better. There were no conditions to his love. We were blessed to have him in our lives for 12 years and when I held him as he drew his last breath, I cried like a baby. This movie reminded me of that relationship--the good and the challenging. It reminded me of the unconditional love that is given to us by our 4 legged friends that become family members. I feel sorry for people who don't get this movie because it means you haven't had this kind of beautiful and rewarding experience. No it is not going to win any acting or writing awards but it is heartwarming and real.

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[–] mrs-rocky-dog 14 years ago

I feel sorry for them too.

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[–] jejozi 14 years ago

OK, Woody, we know you wanted to kill the dog, now go away.

This will be the high point of my day; it's all downhill from here.

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[–] mrs-rocky-dog 14 years ago

"People either do two things when they have an animal like that....." You should have said SOME people because unfortunately there are other people like you, but do NOT put me and other goodhearted people in your little stupid statement because it's not true. Thank God that MOST people are NOT like YOU.

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[–] mrs-rocky-dog 14 years ago

these people will never "get it" - they are missing out on so much! And like you I laugh when one of my dogs is causing mischief! Think about this quote:

"Until one has loved an animal, part of their soul remains unawakened"

I love that quote because it's so true.

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[–] gemma375 14 years ago

"Until one has loved an animal, part of their soul remains unawakened"

I love that quote! When I look back on what my animals have given me, I wouldn't take it away for the world. It's an entirely different kind of love.

Basil: You Nitwit!!
Manuel: What is Witnit?

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[–] Sam-953-169285 8 years ago

But the good parts you talk about are in your memories. They don't exist in the movie.

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[–] wideeye101 14 years ago

"It's just 2 hours of a plain family life without any real ordeal during a dog's lifetime"

Yep. If I wanted what 'Marley and Me' gave me, I would have just stared through the kitchen window of the family that live next door for two hours. This was the most inconsequential film I have ever seen. Seriously, I'm only on this page to get that complaint of my chest, and I usually just discuss films that I like on IMDB.

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[–] 14 years ago

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