Marley & Me

Name: Marley & Me
Genre: Comedy, Family
Released: 2008-12-25
Cast: Owen Wilson, Jennifer Aniston, Eric Dane, Kathleen Turner, Alan Arkin

2008 | 115 min | Comedy, Family

Sunday Safe Bet

Why it’s a Sunday Safe Bet

Audiences rate it highly (7.2 out of 10) and it made about 4 times its budget, though it had middling reviews (63% on Rotten Tomatoes). A safe bet when you want something reliable.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it: Made for anyone who wants a laugh and families. If you loved The Devil Wears Prada, start here. Audiences love it more than critics do: a crowd-pleaser first.
The mood: Light and funny, feel-good.
The pace: Breezy, at 1 hr 55 min.
What might put you off: Nothing much: an easy pick for most people.

A newly married couple, in the process of starting a family, learn many of life's important lessons from their trouble-loving retriever, Marley. Packed with plenty of laughs to lighten the load, the film explores the highs and lows of marriage, maturity and confronting one's own mortality, as seen through the lens of family life with a dog.

How it earned its rating

CriticsBelow par
63% on Rotten Tomatoes
AudiencesStrong
7.2 out of 10
AwardsBelow par
2 wins and 3 nominations from smaller awards and festivals
Box office & staying powerStrong
$256 million worldwide on a $60 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
Buzz & cultural impactStrong
About 266K people sought it out in the past year