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.

在“地球上最危险的城市”，伊拉克的费卢杰，大多数居民早在英美联军轰炸前就已逃离自己的家园。
美国海军陆战队的士兵进入该城一栋荒废的小屋时，听到了奇怪的声响。于是，他们握紧手中的武器，搜索每一个角落，随时准备开火。
他们并没有发现一心复仇的武装分子，却发现了一只被遗弃的小狗。
尽管军规禁止饲养宠物，士兵们还是用煤油和嚼烟祛除了这只小狗身上的跳蚤和寄生虫，并用即食口粮把它喂得饱饱的。海军陆战队员拯救了这只名叫拉瓦的小狗，而小狗拉瓦也拯救了深陷于战争带来的情感创伤中的杰伊·科普曼中校。