This is a widely held belief for numerous people that sharing custody a canine companion post-separation is ill-advised. The consensus suggests such arrangements hinder individuals from moving forward, lead to scheduling chaos, lead to tension, and prove frustrating across the board. Apparently, as a development suited to a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to our furry friends to become depressed.
Without minimizing the inner life of animals – many owners attest to their remarkable empathy. To witness a prime example in dog sorrow, consider a past film. It seems certain that a dog of Merv's nature, a spirited little dog played by Gus the Dog, would have a hard time coping with split households. If this concept an entire Christmas romance on such a setup is sustainable is debatable at best.Predictable Foundations
Honestly, Merv, the work of the writing duo and directed by playwright Jessica Swale, never aspires to be anything more than what it is. We have here a holiday release from a streaming platform giant – the ambitions is limited. The plot unfolds as uncomplicated: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), confronting that their own sadness is rivaled only by their dog's, decide on a cheer-up vacation to a luxury pet hotel. Once there, as expected, they will surely realize the idea that they should reunite. Side characters – featuring a group of comedic actors – are crafted as the usual assortment of types. Its aesthetic is reminiscent of a platform's in-house production, with a wintry atmosphere that is clearly manufactured – as seen in fake snow clinging to green trees as a warm climate substitutes for a wintery Boston.
The Canine Charisma
If these standard ingredients coalesce into something enjoyable depends on the strength of the performances and an acceptance of cinematic comfort food. On the latter point, Merv targets a specific viewer – the kind who browse regularly for pet content. Audiences receive a series of adorable dog montages. The main attraction is the canine star, and though it results in some clunky cuts between what the dog does and the actors' responses, the movie delivers on dog beach fun, canine sorrow, and, ultimately, pure puppy happiness.
Where It Wobbles
Such effectiveness cannot be applied for the interpersonal drama. Its style vacillates between serious study, broad humor, predictable love story, and physical comedy, not quite landing a consistent feel. No blame falls on Charlie Cox, who is fully game the silliness and cringe required by the bizarre setting. Cox exhibits a likable self-deprecation that supplies the bulk of the chemistry for this on-the-rocks couple. Zooey Deschanel, as is her trademark, injects a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. Her portrayal comes across as a little too aloof, notably when contrasted against Cox's genuine sadness. (On another note, the canine performer manages flopping and whining – he may not be Messi from that acclaimed drama, he's definitely a scene-stealer.)
The story strives to add substance to Anna and Russ's relationship for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, considering the title character is easily the best part of this cute-aiming movie. As one might predict, it just about gets by. The reason for the split would feel more adult and realistic with more screen time and more subtle storytelling. Ultimately, Merv is light and sugary, hitting all its marks. Making a film about dog co-parenting is not terrible – even if it's not exactly a stroke of genius.
- Merv becomes available on Prime Video starting December 10.
