MovieChat Forums > Marley & Me (2008) Discussion > I don't really see the point this movie ...

I don't really see the point this movie was trying to make

posted 15 years ago by thandon_s
79 replies | jump to latest

Okay, I like dogs. I feel sad when I see dogs die in films. I cried like a little girl when I watched a Japanese film "Quill". But, honestly, I don't really see what "Marley & ME" wanted to tell.

I mean, Marley didn't really do anything in this story. Okay, he's a part of this family since the beginning until things settled for them, but that's about it.

Marley didn't change John or Jenny in anyway, make them realize anything, or influence them in any important decision of their life. The dog just... be there. John wrote a column around the activities of him and Marley, but the director didn't even emphasize that part enough to make it seems crucial to the story, considering the name of the movie "Marley & Me".

I understand that, normally, that's all dogs do as a part of most families. They just be there and when they die, everybody's sad. But shouldn't the movie tell anything more interesting than that?

I don't hate this movie, I don't love it either. It's just 2 hours of a plain family life without any real ordeal during a dog's lifetime. That's all.

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[–] SanDhuBoy05 7 years ago

I cant say anything better than what "holly-rock" has already said. This movie wasnt an over the top drama that tried to show how special of a dog Marley was which any other dog cudnt be. It was just a realistic movie of how most dogs are and the unconditional love they have for their family. They tried to show that of all the things that family went through, Marley was with them all the time and they didnt realise that untill they felt Marley wasnt gonna be with them for too long. Even at one point in time when Jenny was frustrated she even asked John to send Marley to a farmhouse and get rid of him. When Marley was in his last years around the time he twisted his stomach, they realised not just the importance of Marley, but also the importance of simple things in their life that made their life so worth it. They understood no "Steps" work in real world and you dont know the value of what you already have untill its about to be taken away. Thats the most important thing they learnt from Marley that life is all about finding happiness in simple things as they are. For eg when near the end of the movie when children are playing with Marley outside and Jenny asks them to come inside for Dinner, and then John asks them to leave everything and come inside, Jenny tells John to let them be as they were all enjoying the moment. I think thats the most important thing Marley taught them. Happiness in simple things. Thats what the Director wanted to say in this beautiful realistic kind of movie without being too dramatic and over the top about it.