Marley and Me [Blu-Ray]

By Paul Fischer

John and Jenny Grogan, a young couple contemplating the decision to have a baby. Then came Marley…an adorable Labrador pup that flunks obedience school and quickly turns his new home into a disaster area. But as mischievous Marley sees the Grogans through the ups and downs of life and love, they ultimately realize that the world’s worst dog truly brings out the best in them.

“Marley and Me” received a generally enthusiastic response when released theatrically late last year. One of the reasons, is that the movie delivers a rather warm yet authentic exploration of family, suburbia, the fulfillment of dreams and relationships. The film may initially lure the audience into thinking that they are watching a convention dog movie, but instead the film is about a family, with all its problems, dealing with professional aspirations versus family responsibilities. Stars Jennifer Aniston and Owen Wilson are the perfect fit. Their chemistry feels natural, yet real at the same time, and both give beautiful performances. Of course Marley, played by various dogs, is appealing, and his scenes are both sublimely comic and heartfelt. This is an exquisite film, perfect family entertainment.

Blu-Ray Details and Extras

While it can be argued that ”Marley and Me” is not essential to be watched in high def, there is no denying the film has an added depth in its Blu Ray incarnation. Visually, the film is sharp, images are rich, and the Miami sequences look breathtaking, with deeper blue hues and other lush colours brought out by the 1080p resolution. Audio is also sharp with a pleasing 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio presentation that accurately recreates the initial theatrical experience, while adding the expanded dynamics that lossless encoding provides if one has the right audio equipment.

For a three-disc set, supplementary material is interesting but lacking. There are a number of supplements including: – Finding Marley, Breaking the Golden Rule, When not to Pee [very enjoyable, but silly little short, Deleted Scenes [which are actually rather interesting, more than most, On the Set with Marley: A Dog of all Trades, Animal Adoption and a not-so-funny Gag Reel. There is also a digital copy to upload to your computer, which seems to be the latest thing, though once you see these things in High-Def seeing it on a low-res computer or Iphone seem rather unnecessary.

“Marley and Me” is far more enjoyable than one might imagine from a Hollywood film, avoiding much of the clichés associated with this animal sub genre. Warm, funny and deeply emotive at times, it’s a perfect family film that looks gorgeous and sounds superb in Blu Ray.