[Retriever Mama]

Just watched it for the first time last night. And I am so glad I didn't see it in the theater. Loud sobbing from my side of the couch last night. Had to cover my eyes every time they kept cutting back to the vet's office at the end of the pic. I still have a freakin' headache this morning.

As far as my review of the film? Clearly the book was better. I felt that several of my favorite scenes were glossed over (the pulling of the outdoor cafe table) or missing altogether (the standing guard over the neighbor girl...and the hysterical "movie star" sequence where he overwhelmed his costars). I also think that a lot people are going into this film thinking this is a movie about a dog...when it is about a family who owns a dog.

And some of the changes made to film over the book frustrated me as a dog owner. Where was all the work with the crates? The palpitations I got when the puppy was left in the garage (the chemicals!! the sharp tools!!) by himself. How about all the vet visits to help him with his lightning anxiety? How about going back to re-take obedience school? *shaking head* The Grogans were not by any means the best educated dog owners, but this movie didn't do dogs any favors.

But...ohhhh...those puppies were cute, weren't they??

 

[justine]

Yeah, I didn't like the movie nearly as much as I liked the book. They left sooo much out and changed a lot of stuff. I'm not a fan of Owen Wilson, so that didn't really help either.

I think Jennifer Aniston played the wife decently, though, at least how she is portrayed in the book.

I didn't like that it was more about John and making him look good.

 

[Golfgirlrobin]

I still haven't worked up the nerve to see it. Read the book and really want to, but I'm naturally a crier to begin with and I still haven't gotten over the trauma caused by The Incredible Journey.

 

[dweck]

It's a good movie -- not a great one. Wilson is affable, and he and Aniston make a very believable couple moving from their carefree 20s to their more-responsible 30s and 40s. I, too, thought the trims had cut out some good material, and that some of the other changes (the colossal mishap at the dog beach, f'r instance) were just... odd.

Still, it's all about those last 20 minutes, where script, actors, and emotions all come together perfectly.

 

[blacklabelias]

I also rented it last night so that I could watch it in my own house. Lots of crying and my eyes are still swollen today.

 

[Sams Mom]

I just turned it off. 1/2 an hour through. Was so disappointed.


They butchered John Grogan's relationship with his wife. In the book they were partners, in the movie she's the boss. Marley was a well-thought out decision in the book. In the movie he's to pacify the broody wife. Owen Wilson was miscast. Hated it. Kept waiting for it to get better.

I know the end. Couldn't be bothered to watch it.

I LOVED the book. I read it when we first got Sam and thanked my lucky stars that while Sam could be unruly, she was no Marley.

 

[myfavoritedog]

I really enjoyed the book. I liked the movie though, although like everyone else, was disappointed when they left out some of the good stuff. True the Grogans were not the best first time dog owners, but give them credit. Alot of folks would have given up on Marley. They stood by him when many folks never would have. I saw it in the theater. Came home, almost sobbing, and gave Tal and Barney bighugs and some treats

 

[Di]

I still haven't worked up the nerve to see it. Read the book and really want to, but I'm naturally a crier to begin with and I still haven't gotten over the trauma caused by The Incredible Journey.

If you made it through the book the movie will be very doable, but I'm much more the book person. With the book I cried tell my whole body hurt and DH was wondering if he would have to commit me! Started when she lost the baby and it only got worse from there. So much more detail, didn't help that I read it just 5 months after we lost our Eskie " Aspen"! You will cry, no doubt about it, for me it was just not as bad. Then again why put yourself through it all!

 

[Paddysmom]

I have a peculiar thing about this book/movie. I didn't read the book; there was so much written everywhere about it I didn't feel like it would be a reading treat. Too much information beforehand for me to make any of my own discoveries.

Now the movie is on On Demand and I keep passing over it pretty much for the same reason. And I've seen a couple of trailers... ho-hum.

Oh, and one other little quirk of mine. I have this inexplicable aversion to jumping on the "must see" "must read" wagon. You'd think I'd want to read/see what "everybody" is talking about but ohhhhhh noooooooo! I have to wait a few years for the craze to pass so I can read/see it unfettered by outside influences.

Okay. What a rambling, weird little post for so early on a Saturday morning.

 

[murphsmom]

I agree with the majority. LOVED the book, movie was o.k. I did sob like a baby during both. Not sure why we do that to ourselves. =) =)

 

[Sams Mom]

I thought that since I hadn`t read the book recently, that the movie would be okay, but I hated, hated , hated Owen Wilson`s character. I kept waiting for it to get better, but it just didn`t. Oh well. It was from the library....

 

[Scalli]

I really can't bring myself to watch this movie. On several flights I was on last year the person sat in front of me was watching it and I had to put something to cover up the gap between the head rests so that I couldn't see it !! Can't imagine anything worse than being stuck on a plane sobbing my heart out :-(

 

[Chris333]

I agree. Movie was watchable but the book, audiobook in my case, is much better.

 

[Allie]

I can't bear to read the book or watch the movie...Animal Planet already has me bawling these days. Denny has banned it as a viewing option, lol.

 

[pat]

I found the book far better, but the movie wasn't all that bad. I like Grogan, and read his book Bad Dogs Have More Fun, and his latest one, The Longest Trip Home. I like his style of writing. He has a blog, and you can make comments, but you must be registered on Google. Here is the link. John Grogan || The longest Trip Home