It is a widely held belief for numerous people that sharing custody a dog following a split is a terrible idea. Experts frequently claim such setups prevent ex-partners from finding closure, cause practical headaches, fuel disputes, and become annoying for everyone involved. Seemingly, in a revelation suited to a direct-to-platform film, it also makes the canine in question to feel down.
Without minimizing the inner life of animals – pet parents speak of their deep emotional capacity. For a prime example in canine melancholy, one need only look another performance. I firmly believe that a dog like Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix portrayed by the canine actor Gus, would have a hard time adjusting to divided living arrangements. Whether this premise an entire Christmas romance around this situation holds water remains rather doubtful.Standard Holiday Fare
Fairness demands noting, Merv, the work of its screenwriters and under the guidance of director Swale, never aspires to be deeper than what it is. It functions as a seasonal offering from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the depth are modest. The narrative proves to be straightforward: exes Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their post-breakup gloom is surpassed by their dog's, embark on a uplifting getaway to a dog-friendly resort. Once there, as expected, they will presumably stumble toward the idea that they are better together. Side characters – including familiar faces – are crafted as the usual assortment of types. Its aesthetic is reminiscent of a branded content, with a holiday backdrop that is obviously artificial – exemplified by fake snow clinging to lush pines as a summer location substitutes for the Northeast.
The Dog's Domain
If these standard ingredients coalesce into an entertaining watch hinges on the actors' work and an acceptance of cinematic comfort food. On the latter point, Merv knows its audience – the kind who scroll endlessly for pet content. It provides a wealth 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 dog beach fun, dog depression, and, ultimately, pure puppy happiness.
Where It Wobbles
This level of success cannot be applied for the romantic plot. The film's approach shifts uneasily between emotional depth, wacky comedy, formulaic romance, and outright slapstick, not quite landing a single genre. This is not Charlie Cox, who is fully game the absurd and awkward demanded of the unusual premise. His performance contains a endearing lack of ego that provides 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 be to your taste or not. The character seems a bit too dry, especially when contrasted against Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (For what it's worth, the canine performer is convincing at looking despondent – while no the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he's definitely an excellent dog.)
The film attempts to provide depth to Anna and Russ's relationship for sequences focusing solely on them – which is unfortunate, since Merv is undoubtedly the best part of this feel-good picture. Expectedly, it achieves only baseline competence. The catalyst for their original breakup would feel more nuanced with less exposition and less blunt explanation. As it stands, Merv is gentle and pleasant, fulfilling precisely what you anticipate. Creating a movie about dog co-parenting has potential – though it's hardly a great one either.
- Merv streams on Prime Video on December 10th.
