You may remember Owen Wilson from such films as Starsky and Hutch, Zoolander or Around the World in 80 days and Jennifer Anniston from Friends and Bruce Almighty, but this is a very different film for them.

Wilson's character, John, wants to be a serious journalist, like his wife (Anniston) and following their marriage they move to Florida where she is given a good job and he gets a job writing bit articles for a local paper.

When she starts talking about kids, his colleague suggests distracting her with a puppy. The pick the puppy that is suspiciously cheaper than the others and name him Marley. Marley is a tad hyperactive and freaks out during thunder storms, which unfortunately are commonplace in Florida.

As the story continues, it becomes apparent that Marley is a massive part of John's life and when he gets offered a column in the paper, it becomes a living tribute to Marley.

This film is not a slapstick laugh a minute film, but you won't be disapppointed. Comedy is interspersed with real situations and realistic solutions to them. The marriage is not a perfect one, but they always get through it.

For me it reminded me how being in a relationship is not a magical cure for being single and how it has its own unique issues. John's best friend, in contrast to him, follows a career path culminating in his writing articles for the New York Times. Neither career path is wrong, but John and Jen (Anniston's character - possibly so she wouldn't get confused on set) wouldn't change their relationship for the world.

The most suprising thing for me, though, is that I ended the movie caring about a big scary looking dog - which is quite an achievement for someone as scared as dogs as I am.

This is a slow paced sentimental movie and thus will not be everyone's cuppa tea - but for me, I enjoyed it.

see also:
Elf, Paul Blart: Mall Cop, The Simpsons Movie, Around the world in 80 days

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photo © 20th Century Fox.