The video is presented in 2.35:1 widescreen and appears free of any digital issues or manipulation. It has a great picture, especially for a movie that you wouldn’t think would place a high priority on cinematography, but then the cinematographer is Florian Ballhaus, who is following in the footsteps of his talented father Michael Ballhaus. The color scheme uses a lot of bright colors, which is natural to Florida. The fleshtones stay true and consistent throughout.
The audio is presented in DTS HD 5.1 Master Lossless Audio does a great job recreating the source, although admittedly there wasn’t a lot for it to do in this drama. The dialogue is clear as it comes out the fronts and while the surround fills in occasional ambiance. For the most part, the subwoofer gets the night off, which eliminates a potential pun.
There are several extras included in the Blu-ray DVD set but calling it a 3-disc set is very deceiving. One disc is a digital copy and one disc is a bonus DVD copy. “Finding Marley” showcases the work of the trainers involved in the making of the movie. “Breaking the Golden Rule” is a featurette that includes interviews with the cast and crew. “On Set with Marley: Dog of all Trades” provides Marley’s the opportunity to talk about the making of the movie. “When Not to Pee” is about one particular scene. “Dog Training Trivia Track” includes tips on dog training that can pop-up during the movie or that can be watched individually through the special features. There are also deleted scenes with director commentary, a gag reel and an informational piece on animal adoption.
Marley & Me is completely forgettable. There is nothing special or original about it; it is exactly what you would expect. The actors fill their roles competently no more no less. If you are looking for a nice family movie with some touching moments, this is for you but I would suggest you rent it, watch it on cable, or buy just the movie. The extras are not worth the cost of the set.
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