Marley & Me

Marley & Me is currently streaming in Australia on Disney Plus and Stan, and in the UK on Amazon Prime Video and Disney Plus, and it delivers exactly the kind of comedy that earns a loyal following. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. Its 7/10 TMDB score, built from 4,816 ratings, reflects a title that consistently delivers. Owen Wilson sets the tone, and the rest of the cast matches it scene for scene. Start it on Disney Plus whenever you need something guaranteed to land.

There is a reason Marley & Me keeps coming up in conversation. The jokes in Marley & Me land because the characters underneath them are worth caring about. A newly married couple, in the process of starting a family, learn many of life's important lessons from their trouble-loving retriever, Marley. Packed with plenty of laughs to lighten the load, the film explores the highs and lows of marriage, maturity and confronting one's own mortality, as seen through the lens of family life with a dog. Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 2008. What keeps Marley & Me from feeling disposable is a cast that clearly understands the material better than the format usually demands. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

Comedy fans looking for a reliably funny watch will find it in Marley & Me. It has built its own audience without needing a direct comparison. It is a manageable watch, easy to fit into a single evening. Owen Wilson's comic timing carries it through its weaker moments. The kind of comedy you recommend to someone who claims they do not watch much.