It is an often-repeated piece of advice in certain circles that co-parenting a dog after a breakup is a terrible idea. The consensus suggests such setups prevent former couples from healing, lead to scheduling chaos, spark arguments, and prove frustrating across the board. Apparently, as a development worthy of a streaming movie, it reportedly leads to the canine in question to experience sadness.
Not to downplay the mental health of dogs – pet parents attest to their deep emotional capacity. If you need prime example in pet despair, simply recall another performance. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix played by Gus the Dog, would have a hard time coping with split households. If this concept a full holiday film on such a setup holds water seems a questionable prospect.Predictable Foundations
Fairness demands noting, Merv, crafted by the writing duo and helmed by playwright Jessica Swale, never aspires to be anything more than a light film. This is a holiday release from a streaming platform giant – the complexity remains surface-level. The narrative is destined to be uncomplicated: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their individual funk is rivaled only by their dog's, decide on a cheer-up vacation to a luxury pet hotel. Once there, as expected, they will undoubtedly rediscover the idea that they should reunite. The supporting cast – played by familiar faces – serve as the usual assortment of types. Its aesthetic carries the feel of a platform's in-house production, with a Christmas setting that is clearly manufactured – exemplified by fake snow surrounding green trees as a summer location doubles as a cold December city.
The Canine Charisma
How these familiar elements merge into a pleasant experience hinges on the execution and one's taste for cinematic comfort food. For the comfort factor, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who scroll endlessly for dog videos. Audiences receive a wealth of canine-centric sequences. The main attraction is the canine star, and even if it causes some clunky cuts between the pet's "lines" and human reaction, the movie succeeds in showing dog beach fun, pet moping, and, finally, a tail-wagging resolution.
The Human Element
Such effectiveness is not earned for the interpersonal drama. The tone wavers between emotional depth, wacky comedy, predictable love story, and silly gags, not quite landing a single genre. The fault lies not with the actor playing Russ, who is admirably committed the silliness and cringe required by the unusual premise. Cox exhibits a likable self-deprecation that provides much of the film's charm for this on-the-rocks couple. Her co-star Deschanel, true to her usual style, injects a distinctive offbeat energy that will click for some but not others. Her Anna can feel a little too aloof, particularly when contrasted against Cox's vulnerable performance. (For what it's worth, the canine performer succeeds in acting depressed – not quite the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he's definitely an excellent dog.)
Merv tries to give weight to the couple's history for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, since the title character is easily the best part of this feel-good picture. Expectedly, it just about gets by. The catalyst for their original breakup could have been more adult and realistic with more screen time and fewer direct statements. As it stands, Merv is slight and sweet, fulfilling all its marks. Crafting a story on this shared-custody premise has potential – even if it's hardly a stroke of genius.
- Merv becomes available on Prime Video on December 10th.
