This is an often-repeated piece of advice for numerous people that sharing custody a dog after a breakup is a terrible idea. The consensus suggests such arrangements hinder ex-partners from healing, create logistical nightmares, lead to tension, and prove frustrating for everyone involved. Apparently, as a development suited to a streaming movie, it also makes our furry friends to become depressed.
Without minimizing the mental health of dogs – countless people attest to their deep emotional capacity. To witness a masterclass in pet despair, one need only look a past film. There is little doubt that a dog like Merv, a scruffy terrier type played by Gus the Dog, would find it difficult adapting to split households. The idea of basing a feature-length romcom around this situation holds water is a questionable prospect.Predictable Foundations
Honestly, Merv, crafted by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and under the guidance of director Swale, doesn't pretend to be anything more than a light film. We have here a holiday release from a streaming platform giant – the depth are modest. Its storyline unfolds as uncomplicated: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their own sadness is surpassed by their dog's, embark on a cheer-up vacation to a luxury pet hotel. Once there, as expected, they will presumably rediscover the idea that they belong with each other. Ensemble players – featuring Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – serve as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. The film's look has the quality of a streaming service original, with a Christmas setting that is obviously artificial – exemplified by flurries clinging to lush pines as a warm climate substitutes for the Northeast.
The Dog's Domain
Whether these familiar elements merge into a pleasant experience rests upon the execution and the viewer's appetite for cinematic comfort food. On the latter point, Merv knows its audience – those people who scroll endlessly for cute animal clips. It provides a series of canine-centric sequences. The primary selling point is Merv himself, and though it results in some awkward editing between the pet's "lines" and people's faces, the movie does offer walking sequences, pet moping, and, ultimately, a tail-wagging resolution.
The Two-Legged Cast
The same praise does not extend for the interpersonal drama. The tone vacillates between emotional depth, zany antics, standard rom-com beats, and silly gags, failing to master a consistent feel. No blame falls on Charlie Cox, who is fully game the silliness and cringe inherent in the bizarre setting. His performance contains a endearing lack of ego that offers much of the film's charm for this on-the-rocks couple. Anna's portrayer, true to her usual style, brings a certain millennial quirkiness that will click for some but not others. The character seems a bit too dry, notably when paired with Cox's genuine sadness. (For what it's worth, Merv himself is convincing at looking despondent – not quite a canine thespian of that caliber, he's definitely an excellent dog.)
The film attempts to give weight to the central romance for sequences focusing solely on them – a bit of a pity, considering the title character is undoubtedly the most adorable aspect of this film designed for charm. As one might predict, it just about gets by. The catalyst for their original breakup would feel more adult and realistic with more screen time and fewer direct statements. As it stands, Merv is slight and sweet, hitting every expected note. Crafting a story about dog co-parenting isn't a bad idea – but it's not exactly a brilliant concept.
- Merv becomes available on the Amazon platform on December 10th.
