 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Marmaduke
- Review Date: June 3, 2010
- PG
- Genre: Family and Kids
- 2010
Common Sense Media says
America's favorite Great Dane is more "O.C." than "Lassie."
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that Marmaduke is mostly inoffensive, unless your family detests potty humor, in which case this isn't the movie for you. The main issue with any talking-animal flick is the degree to which the animals are stand-ins for humans, and in this case, the animals are made to seem like high-schoolers with all their accompanying social and romantic drama. There's a lot of romantic pining and even doggie dating and flirting, which may go over the heads of kids too young to understand the nuances of romance. Some subtle drug references pop up that will also bypass the kids' radar. The language is limited to insults like "freak," "stupid," and "loser," and mimics the bullying and teasing you'd find in a movie about unpopular students. For such a short movie, there are several positive messages about the importance of honest, unconditional friendship and family versus work time -- not that they'll necessarily get noticed with all the dog-fart jokes in the way.
What's the story?
Marmaduke (Owen Wilson) lives happily in Kansas with the Winslows: marketing director Phil (Lee Pace), stay-at-home mom Debbie (Judy Greer), their teen, tween, and tot, plus their affable cat Carlos (George Lopez). When Phil accepts a lucrative job working for an organic dog-food company, the Winslows and their pets move to Orange County, California, where the center of canine activity (and the informal office of Phil's new boss, played by William H. Macy), is the Laguna Beach Dog Park. Marmaduke immediately falls in with a clique of sweet mixed-breed outcasts -- tomboy Mazie (Emma Stone), brainy Raisin (Steve Coogan), and neurotic Giuseppe (Christopher Mintz-Plasse). But like high school, the "rulers" of the park are the alpha male Bosco (Kiefer Sutherland), his beautiful girlfriend Jezebel (Stacy Ferguson), and their "pedigree crew." To win over Jezebel, Marmaduke makes a play for top dog, but alienates his true friends.
Is it any good?
Even though the Marmaduke movie trailer was criticized as one of the year's worst, there is definitely an audience for this movie -- pet-loving elementary schoolers who dig talking-animal flicks. If you are out of that narrow moviegoing niche, chances are high that you'll be unamused. No judgments here if it's too hot to stay home and this is the only PG-rated movie your family hasn't seen yet, but be prepared not so much to laugh but to marvel at Marmaduke's sheer size and the way the screenwriters turned dogs into teenagers with romantic and social drama to rival the very show that appears in the movie, The O.C..
Sure, there are a few moments when Marmaduke helps the family forge stronger relationships, especially the workaholic dad and his two kids, but the set-ups are thin (little Brian doesn't really like to play soccer! teen Barbara misses her friends in Kansas!), it's hard to care too much. Didn't Lassie and other cinematic canines literally save lives? The voice cast does its best with the hammy dialogue, and Wilson is clearly suited to playing dogs (or the people who love them), but comedians Coogan, Lopez, and Mintz-Plasse aren't given enough lines, because Marmaduke is so consumed with romancing Jezebel, throwing a party, and being top dog that the script gets too bogged down with the doggie soap opera to be all that funny or memorable.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the movie's message about growing up "different" than the "cool" crowd (in this case, the top dog and his pedigree crew). How is the dog park like school?
Marmaduke is often made fun of for his size. Kids: Does this happen to you or your friends? What's the movie's take on discrimination and bullying?
Why are talking-animal movies so compelling to kids? Is it funny when animals have the same issues and thoughts as their human counterparts, like dating drama? Do you think this movie would still be for young kids if the characters were human instead of canine?
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Kid, 10 years old
July 13, 2010
AGE
Not Very Funny!
I kind of hated this movie. I expected it to be very funny like Beverly Hills Chihuahua, but it was not. I only laughed a little. I wasted my parents money seeing this in the theater. My mom is happy she dropped us off and didn't have to watch it too. I liked the buttery popcorn, but I still think this would be better to watch on DVD at home or not at all. It really wasn't funny.
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AGE
Iffy
Eh, this isnt the worst movie of 2010, but I didn't enjoy it too much. It wasn't that funny, and too many fart jokes. I wished I had rented this.
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AGE
We really liked it they used words like shut up and idiot but I just spoke with my kids abt not talking that way... but over all it was great!!!
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Kid, 11 years old
June 10, 2010
AGE
Marmaduke,the duke of awesome!
I think is AMAZING :)
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AGE
Perfect for pet-loving families (especially Great Dane owners)
I don't agree with the reviews that this is such a terrible movie.
If you are an dog lover you will love the humor. If you own a Great Dane you will appreciate the humor even more! My kids, ages 10 and 12 loved this movie and we laughed all the way through. I do like that there is a positive message that family should matter more than success and money!
When I go see a movie like this I don't expect it to be serious or realistic. If you are a pet-loving family I recommend you see this one. It's silly, cute and funny, like it is supposed to be.
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Kid, 12 years old
June 20, 2010
AGE
Animal Movie is good.
It's good, but they use words like "shut up" and it's related to the strip and features the O.C. and it's music video, but there's also mentionings of PetCo and a fake dog food company too.
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Kid, 12 years old
April 25, 2011
AGE
America's favorite Great Dane is more "O.C." than "Lassie."
This movie is funny but I saw some dogs kissing each other in the lips a few scenes in this movie, Marmaduke has a crush on a female dog and tries to love her, words like "donkey," "horse," "losers," "stupid mutts," "freak," "gargantuan spas," and more. Also, one or two uses of "God" as an exclamation. Alcohol and drugs were in this movie, there was a party and all dogs and humans would get drunk and smoke in some parts, and there is consumerism and a dog growled at Marmaduke during a thunderstorm once in this movie, but I like the messages and the role models. This movie is pretty good.
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Kid, 11 years old
June 25, 2010
AGE
BEST MOVIE EVER
Its a great movie.
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| Studio: | Twentieth Century Fox |
| Director: | Tom Dey |
| Cast: | Emma Stone, George Lopez, Lee Pace, Owen Wilson |
| Genre: | Family and Kids |
| Run time: | 87 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | June 4, 2010 |
| DVD release date: | August 31, 2010 |
| MPAA rating: | PG |
| MPAA explanation: | some rude humor and language |
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