It is an often-repeated piece of advice among many that sharing custody a dog after a breakup is ill-advised. Experts frequently claim such situations impede ex-partners from healing, cause practical headaches, fuel disputes, and become annoying for everyone involved. As it turns out, as a development suited to a direct-to-platform film, it also makes the canine in question to feel down.
Without minimizing the emotional well-being of our pets – countless people observe their profound sensitivity. If you need prime example in pet despair, simply recall a past film. There is little doubt that a dog of Merv's nature, a spirited little dog brought to life by Gus the Dog, would find it difficult coping with life in two homes. Whether this premise a feature-length romcom on such a setup works effectively seems rather doubtful.A Familiar Formula
To its credit, Merv, crafted by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and under the guidance of playwright Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be more profound than what it is. This is a holiday release from a streaming platform giant – the complexity are modest. The plot proves to be straightforward: former spouses Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, forced to acknowledge that their own sadness is rivaled only by their dog's, take a therapeutic trip to a luxury pet hotel. There, inevitably, they will presumably rediscover the idea that they are better together. Ensemble players – including Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – serve as the usual assortment of types. Its aesthetic carries the feel of a streaming service original, with a holiday backdrop that is visibly contrived – think fake snow piled on verdant foliage as a warm climate substitutes for a cold December city.
The Dog's Domain
How these standard ingredients come together into something enjoyable hinges on the strength of the performances and one's taste for easy entertainment. For the comfort factor, Merv targets a specific viewer – individuals who browse regularly for dog videos. It provides a wealth of adorable dog montages. The central draw is the canine star, and while this leads to some stilted moments between animal action and human reaction, the movie does offer walking sequences, canine sorrow, and, in the end, a tail-wagging resolution.
Where It Wobbles
Such effectiveness cannot be applied for the romantic plot. Its style wavers between relationship drama, zany antics, predictable love story, and physical comedy, not quite landing a single genre. This is not Cox's performance, who is willing to embrace the absurd and awkward required by the bizarre setting. His performance contains a endearing lack of ego that provides a significant portion of the appeal for this on-the-rocks couple. Her co-star Deschanel, in her typical fashion, injects a distinctive offbeat energy that will either resonate with viewers. The character seems a little too aloof, particularly when contrasted against Cox's vulnerable performance. (For what it's worth, Gus the Dog manages flopping and whining – not quite the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he is still a scene-stealer.)
The film attempts to provide depth to Anna and Russ's relationship for moments when the dog is absent – which is unfortunate, since the dog is undoubtedly the most adorable aspect of this cute-aiming movie. Unsurprisingly, it achieves only baseline competence. The reason for their separation might seem more grounded and mature with less exposition and more subtle storytelling. As it stands, Merv is light and sugary, hitting precisely what you anticipate. Crafting a story about dog co-parenting has potential – though I wouldn't call it a stroke of genius.
- Merv premieres on Prime Video on December 10th.
