Marley & Me Book and Movie Review

Author: John Grogan

Pages: 289

Published: HarperMemoir, 2005

Genre: Nonfiction memoir

Cover: Who can resist that adorable dog?

Overall Grade: A

John and Jenny Grogan, a young couple living peacefully in Florida and working as reporters, are used to a quiet life. Well, that was before Marley came along, a huge, 100-pound yellow Labrador Retriever that would change their lives forever, happily taking the role of World's Worst Dog. He would crash through screen doors, destroy drywall, drag his owners on walks, and joyfully eat anything in his reach. But he also changed their growing family for the better, and affected them all...

My thoughts: Marley & Me was an alternating combination of sweet, hilarious, and tear-jerking. John Grogan writes with humor and honesty, plunging you into his world and making for an enthralling, can't-put-this-book-down read. I loved Marley's antics, chronicled perfectly in chatty narration that made me feel like I was experiencing all of the situations first-hand. Certain passages had me laughing out loud, and the Grogan family itself was charming. I loved seeing how Marley really affected them as a whole.

This book, although a bit of a long read, was captivating from page one. The story flowed effortlessly, and I was so sad when it was over (for more than one reason). A must-read for all dog lovers, Marley & Me brings a smile to the readers' face. A lovely story for readers 14 and older.

Must-Read! Check it out Don't Bother

--------------------------------------------

Movie Review:

Rated: PG

Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston star in this film as John and Jenny Grogan, a young couple beginning a family, and owners of the infamous Marley, 100-pound Lab/household terrorist.

I absolutely adored the book, and most of the charm and magic of the book carried over into the movie. Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston were perfect as the Grogans, I felt like the casting couldn't have been better.

But I found that the movie cut out a lot of necessary material in the book, leaving the film feeling too short and a bit incomplete. Only about half of Marley's antics and the family's adventures were shown in the movie, and some of the funniest parts never made it into the film, which was especially disappointing. I would've liked to have seen longer scenes with about a half of an hour more of Marley action. More of the film was spent focused on the growth of the family.

Overall, I recommend this movie, but some fans of the book may be disappointed, as some of the best details of the novel didn't carry over into the film. Be sure to have a box of Kleenex close by!