Ty Hampton
Critic’s Corner
"Marley and Me" — 3.5 out of 5 stars
The novel-based “Marley and Me” had every tail in the theater wagging as a true blue dog lover’s tribute to man’s best friend.
Although Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston worked well in the leading roles, both took a backseat to our furry protagonist Marley.
The story picks up with John and Jennifer Grogan’s (Wilson and Aniston) lives after the the newly-wed journalist couple moves to Florida and John surprises his wife with a new puppy. We follow the Grogan’s through their ups and downs, trials and triumphs in life — all with Marley by their side providing a wealth of four-legged mischief and comfort in the tough times.
Big name players Wilson and Aniston aren’t going to receive any acclaim for their performances, but they played the roles true to the real people in the non-fiction book “Marley and Me.” Supporting performances from Eric Dane, Kathleen Turner, and the always hilarious Alan Arkin, provided addtional streaks of color to the story that remained tightly focused on the family for a bulk of the film.
Director David Frankel did a fine job on his second major release bigscreen movie, using some fast action editing to further the visual appeal of the film in areas where this could have easily been your typical cookie cutter film. Of course Frankel is no rookie behind the camera with accolades such as being the original director of the hit HBO show “Entourage”, and time directing episodes of “Sex and the City”, “Rome”, and “Band of Brothers.”
The plot follows the Grogan’s as Marley ages from a spry pup to an older lab with white hairs around the eyes. My biggest beef with the film was that it seemed to come to a crawling finish, focusing on the sad ladder end of the dog’s life too much.
I also have to give the filmmakers credit though, because the film’s climax and finale is about as real as it gets. At the screening I went to there was not a dry eye in the room — and it felt like a real human experience with a beloved friend.
I personally was touched by this film as a huge dog person. I laughed, I cried, and it made me appreciate my own four-legged friend all the more.. It's a feel good flick and I recommend it if that's what you're looking for.
Overall it was not the biggest or best film, but it made for a great family comedy and I give it 3.5 out of 5 stars for that genre.
The film is rated (PG) for thematic material, and some suggestive content and language. “Marley and Me” will be playing at Ronan’s Entertainer Cinema at 4, 6:50, and 9 p.m. daily through Thursday, Feb. 12.
Critic’s Corner
"Marley and Me" — 3.5 out of 5 stars
The novel-based “Marley and Me” had every tail in the theater wagging as a true blue dog lover’s tribute to man’s best friend.
Although Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston worked well in the leading roles, both took a backseat to our furry protagonist Marley.
The story picks up with John and Jennifer Grogan’s (Wilson and Aniston) lives after the the newly-wed journalist couple moves to Florida and John surprises his wife with a new puppy. We follow the Grogan’s through their ups and downs, trials and triumphs in life — all with Marley by their side providing a wealth of four-legged mischief and comfort in the tough times.
Big name players Wilson and Aniston aren’t going to receive any acclaim for their performances, but they played the roles true to the real people in the non-fiction book “Marley and Me.” Supporting performances from Eric Dane, Kathleen Turner, and the always hilarious Alan Arkin, provided addtional streaks of color to the story that remained tightly focused on the family for a bulk of the film.
Director David Frankel did a fine job on his second major release bigscreen movie, using some fast action editing to further the visual appeal of the film in areas where this could have easily been your typical cookie cutter film. Of course Frankel is no rookie behind the camera with accolades such as being the original director of the hit HBO show “Entourage”, and time directing episodes of “Sex and the City”, “Rome”, and “Band of Brothers.”
The plot follows the Grogan’s as Marley ages from a spry pup to an older lab with white hairs around the eyes. My biggest beef with the film was that it seemed to come to a crawling finish, focusing on the sad ladder end of the dog’s life too much.
I also have to give the filmmakers credit though, because the film’s climax and finale is about as real as it gets. At the screening I went to there was not a dry eye in the room — and it felt like a real human experience with a beloved friend.
I personally was touched by this film as a huge dog person. I laughed, I cried, and it made me appreciate my own four-legged friend all the more.. It's a feel good flick and I recommend it if that's what you're looking for.
Overall it was not the biggest or best film, but it made for a great family comedy and I give it 3.5 out of 5 stars for that genre.
The film is rated (PG) for thematic material, and some suggestive content and language. “Marley and Me” will be playing at Ronan’s Entertainer Cinema at 4, 6:50, and 9 p.m. daily through Thursday, Feb. 12.
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ReplyDeleteI think it sucks that the theaters in the FLathead valley are owned by a monopoly and these people charge exorbitant rates for the matinees. We have been going every week for the past several years, but if they dont drop their prices to reflect the economic conditions, we will quit. Matinees are supposed to be affordable. These greedy bastards dont understand that
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