It is an often-repeated piece of advice among many that jointly caring for a canine companion post-separation is a recipe for trouble. The consensus suggests such setups impede individuals from healing, cause practical headaches, fuel disputes, and prove frustrating across the board. Seemingly, in a revelation worthy of a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to the dogs themselves to experience sadness.
While respecting the emotional well-being of animals – many owners speak of their remarkable empathy. If you need prime example in canine melancholy, simply recall recent cinema. There is little doubt that a dog of Merv's nature, a scruffy terrier type portrayed by the canine actor Gus, would struggle adapting to divided living arrangements. Whether this premise a feature-length romcom on such a setup holds water remains rather doubtful.Standard Holiday Fare
Honestly, Merv, written by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and under the guidance of playwright Jessica Swale, makes no grand claims deeper than what it is. This is a Christmas movie from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the complexity is limited. The plot is destined to be uncomplicated: former spouses Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, confronting that their individual funk is matched by their dog's, embark on a therapeutic trip to a luxury pet hotel. Once there, as expected, they will presumably stumble toward the idea that they are better together. The supporting cast – featuring Chris Redd, Jasmine Mathews, and others – serve as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Visually is reminiscent of a streaming service original, with a holiday backdrop that is visibly contrived – exemplified by fake snow piled on verdant foliage as a summer location doubles as a cold December city.
The Dog's Domain
If these familiar elements coalesce into something enjoyable rests upon the execution and one's taste for easy entertainment. On the latter point, Merv knows its audience – those people who scroll endlessly for dog videos. It provides a plethora of adorable dog montages. The primary selling point is the dog, and while this leads to some awkward editing between what the dog does and people's faces, the movie delivers on canine party antics, pet moping, and, ultimately, pure puppy happiness.
The Human Element
The same praise cannot be applied for the interpersonal drama. Its style wavers between relationship drama, broad humor, formulaic romance, and silly gags, not quite landing a single genre. No blame falls on Cox's performance, who is admirably committed the absurd and awkward demanded of the bizarre setting. Cox exhibits a endearing lack of ego that offers the bulk of the chemistry for this on-the-rocks couple. Her co-star Deschanel, true to her usual style, imparts a certain millennial quirkiness that will click for some but not others. The character comes across as a touch too detached, notably when paired with Cox's vulnerable performance. (For what it's worth, the canine performer manages acting depressed – not quite a canine thespian of that caliber, he's definitely a scene-stealer.)
The film attempts to add substance to Anna and Russ's relationship for scenes without their pet – a bit of a pity, given that the dog is easily the most adorable aspect of this cute-aiming movie. Unsurprisingly, it just about gets by. The reason for their separation might seem more nuanced with greater exploration and more subtle storytelling. As it stands, Merv is light and sugary, hitting precisely what you anticipate. Making a film about dog co-parenting is not terrible – though I wouldn't call it a great one either.
- Merv streams on Amazon Prime Video starting December 10.
