John (Owen Wilson) and his new wife, Jenny (Jennifer Aniston), have a plan for life. She has everything laid out in steps. Marley was not one of the steps and he was quite a hassle from the start.

Marley & Me tells the story of how a family grew to love a wild and uncontrollable dog from when he was a puppy until the inevitable happens, all the while going through troubles with their relationships, jobs, and life overall. It's a comedy/drama that relies on the audiences emotions and the cuteness of a dog.

The duo of Wilson and Aniston is a little shaky at first but you get adjusted to them and by the end of the film, they make a cute couple. The film is funny in some parts. It attempts to keep a comedic tone throughout, with small pieces of drama thrown in the middle, but only a handful of scenes are actually funny. Alan Arkin who plays John's editor is absolutely hilarious. His no hardass demeanor conveys no emotion while his words are exactly the opposite. He stole the picture from Wilson whenever he was in the scene. The dog, Marley, is cute. From when he was a puppy to when he is all grown up, he remains the same. His wild antics and the reactions he receives provide some great moments, some I'm sure we all have seen with our own pets.

Going into the film, all people would ever tell me was that it's a sad movie. Whenever I would mention Marley & Me, that's what they would say. Now, yes, things get pretty sad by the time the film ends but I felt that's all it relies on. Marley is the main focus of the film and you see much of him but there are other side stories that try to fit in but don't really go far. John's writing career and his family are the big two. Things are constantly switching around and there was too much to take in at once. Another problem with the film is John and Jenny's relationship with Marley. At first they hate him and then, at some point, they love him to death. You see a little transition but there is no real moment where you realize that they have changed. And it's them who has changed, not Marley.

The film has its flaws but it's worth a viewing, at least once. Maybe not on Christmas day, as there are plenty coming out then, but perhaps a rental in the future. It tries to be all of these things; a comedy, a drama, but instead of being amazing at one of them, it's only mediocre at all of them.