Marley & Me

John and Jenny Grogan are newly married and starting a life together, having left Michigan for Florida, where both take jobs at competing newspapers. Before they feel ready for children, John gives Jenny a Labrador retriever puppy as a gift. Named Marley, the dog grows into a large, unruly animal that chews furniture, ignores training and turns the household upside down. As the years pass, Marley becomes a witness to the couple's changing lives, including career shifts, doubts about parenthood and the arrival of children. Adapted from John Grogan's memoir, the film follows the family through the ups and downs of marriage and maturity as seen through life with a difficult but devoted pet.

David Frankel directed, working from a screenplay by Scott Frank and Don Roos, with Karen Rosenfelt and Gil Netter producing. Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston star as John and Jenny, alongside Eric Dane, Kathleen Turner, Alan Arkin and Nathan Gamble. The film sits between Frankel's The Devil Wears Prada and The Big Year in his filmography. Made for a reported 60 million dollars, it took in about 256 million worldwide, a strong return. On IMDb it holds a 7 out of 10 from roughly 175,000 votes, and on TMDB a 7.2 from about 4,900, while critics rated it 6.2 from 142 reviews, so audiences have responded more warmly than reviewers.