Parents' Guide to

Marley & Me

By Joly Herman, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Touching comedy deals with emotional themes.

Movie PG 2008 123 minutes
Marley & Me Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

age 12+

Based on 107 parent reviews

age 11+

For older kids!

I’m glad I had “the talk” with my 10-year-old before watching this movie! A lot of grown up topics came up: trying to get pregnant, miscarriage, a couple of sex scenes... But overall a touching story and a tearjerker!

This title has:

Too much sex
1 person found this helpful.
age 16+

A Dull Movie With a Misleading Rating

Definitely not a PG rated movie. There were so many open references to sex and scenes that clearly portrayed a couple (married, yes, but still...) engaging in sexual activity that there is no way this movie should have gotten a PG rating. Even the dog can’t stop “humping”. It’s supposed to be funny but...ick. The scenes about the dog’s “adorable” antics were annoying instead of endearing. And the plot was dull and plodding. I turned it off after 20 minutes and could care less about the ending. It’s beyond me why it got such good ratings on Amazon Prime. I guess we’ve just set the bar that low.

This title has:

Too much sex
1 person found this helpful.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (107):
Kids say (210):

Based on John Grogan's book, the heartwarming MARLEY AND ME successfully portrays what it's like when an abnormally exuberant family member takes center stage. Because, make no mistake, Marley is a full-fledged member of the Grogan family. Though he tests every limit possible -- chewing through the last threads of their patience and human dignity -- Marley teaches the Grogans about loyalty and undying love.

Audiences might be surprised at the emotional power that the film packs -- especially because it's being marketed as a family comedy -- but the effect is gratifying and real. And though Wilson and Aniston take a little while to hit their stride as a couple, overall the movie is a pretty seamless depiction of the arc of family life.

Movie Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate