Marley & Me (2008)
Man’s Best Friend
More than a decade has passed since Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston starred in Marley & Me. The film resonated with me for a long time, not because of its philosophical takes or phenomenal CGI, but because of how connected I felt with it. Naturally, the film is not in any self-respecting film critic’s Top-Ten list; the competition is stiff already when you compare director David Frankel to the likes of Cristopher Nolan or Stanley Kubrik. Frankel’s film however, sits well with me since it features probably the most relatable and adorable cast.
The summer of 2021 was an eventful time for me personally. I moved in with my girlfriend in a beautiful chic neighbourhood. I spent a wonderful vacation in Vancouver which definitely bankrupted me for a while. And I also got two gorgeous puppies. I think you see where this is going. What makes Marley & Me simple yet so devastatingly wholesome is the complete journey a family shares with their Labrador Retriever. It encompasses the first day Marley, a puppy, was brought home, and his last days battling an incurable gastric dilatation volvulus (a twisted stomach).
The film is heavily centered on Marley the miscreant, such that many of his troublemakings were points of comedy for the audience. Owning a dog is hard work, it does not take a genius to realize this. For people who come from families that have never had dogs and are therefore first-generation dog parents, the dog journey is even harder. Chanel was the first dog I was ever responsible for, which then taught me just how much patience you need for dogs. Do not be fooled by her charming nature. Chanel was every much as expensive and prissy as she is today. My girlfriend and I drove all the way to the outskirts of Montreal to pick her up. Since she was just so irresistible the first few days, we let her sleep on our bed, which ended up building a bad habit for her. She would go berserk if we ever left her alone, have complete temper tantrums if things didn’t go her way. The problem too was, we spoiled her. Finally one night I had enough of her barking, left her alone in her cage for an hour, and hid in another room to watch an episode of Grey’s Anatomy with my girlfriend. That taught us the importance of discipline for our dog. Potty training was straightforward for Chanel. We used pee pee pads for her big and small businesses. Obviously, the occasional accidents happened but my girlfriend and I were adequately patient.
Then after a month of harassing my girlfriend, we decided to get another dog from the same place near Montreal. Cacao is the complete opposite of Chanel; cheaper (just by a thousand), docile, athletic and dumb. I’m not kidding. Potty training that little beast was the most enduring thing I’ve ever gone through and I don’t hide the fact that his accidents have caused large spikes in my blood pressure. He ate like a dumpster too. Whatever you dangled in front of him, he’d swallow without even chewing. He still suffers from coprophagia (he eats shit, there’s literally no polite way to say this) till this day. However, I cannot lie that over time, I’ve grown to like Cacao for his buffoonery.
Everything was going well for our family of four, when the dogs started damaging the furniture. They would chew on sofas, blankets, clothes, just about anything soft. If it wasn’t soft, it’d be my girlfriend’s high-heels and the wall. Speaking of which, my girlfriend and I fixed the messed up wall corners with drywall and paint. No biggie. Perhaps it was during their teething phase; the two fur babies no longer chew the wrong stuff now, apart from my girlfriend’s panties.
Inevitably, when Marley sadly passes, we can feel the visceral sorrow from the Grogan family. We too, share in it. Losing Marley felt like losing a family member. The sad reality is that nothing can live forever, this fact extends to our loyal furry companions. I suppose that in the latter years of Marley’s life, when he had matured, he began to behave better. Watching my two dogs grow, however young they are in comparison to a 13-year-old Marley, I experienced not just a newfound passion for dogs, but also a greater appreciation for companionship. True, maintaining dogs is incredibly taxing. I mean this literally. The finance involved every year is enough to make a dent in anyone’s wallet, much less two dogs. I’ve done the math already. I spend nearly $300 on the dogs per month. This includes the insurance, dog food, toys and God forbid treats. Now there are plenty of dog subscription packages available out there, which I never got around to liking. The scariest hidden fee attached with dogs is always the vet visit. Every simple injection can cost upwards of $100, and the worst was their $1200 neutering. Don’t forget, we have two dogs, so that’s double everything.
I cannot stress just how much patience you need to live with a dog. Cacao and Chanel have indubitably brought a dimension of joy into our lives, but between you the reader and me, they have also caused some arguments between me and my partner. It just boils down to how far you are willing to go for your dog, and although it doesn’t mean that it’s your life or your dog’s, get ready for both your lives to be heavily intertwined. You will not be able to go out with your friends without worrying about your dog, you usually will not be able to plan holidays without bringing your dog and you will have to take the dog out for physical activity so the dog doesn’t get too cooped up. Feel overwhelmed yet? Marley & Me does a very good job depicting a man and his best friend’s journey together, with Marley sort of being the watcher of all the highlights in John’s life. No matter the highs and lows for John and Jenny, Marley is always by their side. Granted, he’s probably doing something bad while he’s there. Over time, you start to forgive all of your dog’s sins and love him or her unconditionally. It’s not like you can ask my Cacao and Chanel for rent.
When Marley inevitably succumbs to his illness, we remember fondly just how important he was in the Grogan family. Maybe they’ll get another dog, but it will never replace the first one they had. My dogs are young and healthy and will hopefully live long, undisturbed lives. Right now, Cacao has an irritation caused by his incessant need to lick his pubic area. I got the cream for it last night. Owning dogs are big responsibilities, and I’m already pestering my girlfriend for a third, white Yorkipoo. Until then, we will be cozying up together under the Christmas lights, two schleepy boys and two schleepy gorls.
