This is an often-repeated piece of advice in certain circles that co-parenting a canine companion following a split is a terrible idea. The consensus suggests such arrangements impede individuals from finding closure, lead to scheduling chaos, lead to tension, and prove frustrating across the board. As it turns out, and in a twist suited to a streaming movie, it can even cause the dogs themselves to experience sadness.
Not to downplay the inner life of our pets – pet parents speak of their remarkable empathy. For a prime example in pet despair, consider recent cinema. It seems certain that a dog such as Merv, a spirited little dog played by the canine actor Gus, would find it difficult adapting to split households. Whether this premise an entire Christmas romance on this conflict holds water is rather doubtful.A Familiar Formula
Honestly, Merv, crafted by the writing duo and helmed by playwright Jessica Swale, never aspires to be anything more than a light film. This is a holiday release from a streaming platform giant – the depth is limited. Its storyline proves to be uncomplicated: former spouses Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, forced to acknowledge that their own sadness is rivaled only by their dog's, embark on a cheer-up vacation to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will presumably realize the idea that they are better together. Ensemble players – including a group of comedic actors – serve as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Visually has the quality of a branded content, with a wintry atmosphere that is obviously artificial – as seen in obvious snow effects surrounding lush pines as a warm climate stands in for a wintery Boston.
The Dog's Domain
How these standard ingredients coalesce into something enjoyable rests upon the execution and the viewer's appetite for comfort viewing. Regarding the second aspect, Merv hones in on a demographic – those people who browse regularly for pet content. It provides a plethora of canine-centric sequences. The central draw is the dog, and even if it causes some awkward editing between the pet's "lines" and people's faces, the movie delivers on dog beach fun, canine sorrow, and, in the end, pure puppy happiness.
The Human Element
Such effectiveness cannot be applied for the human side of the story. Its style shifts uneasily between relationship drama, wacky comedy, formulaic romance, and outright slapstick, never fully committing to a single genre. The fault lies not with Cox's performance, who is fully game the absurd and awkward inherent in the dog resort scenario. His performance contains a likable self-deprecation that supplies much of the film's charm for this seemingly ideal couple. Zooey Deschanel, in her typical fashion, imparts a certain millennial quirkiness that will be to your taste or not. Her portrayal can feel a bit too dry, notably when paired with Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (For what it's worth, Gus the Dog succeeds in looking despondent – not quite the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he remains a very good boy.)
The film attempts to give weight to the central romance for moments when the dog is absent – which is unfortunate, since Merv is undoubtedly the cutest element of this feel-good picture. Expectedly, it just about gets by. The catalyst for their original breakup would feel more nuanced with greater exploration and more subtle storytelling. Ultimately, Merv is gentle and pleasant, fulfilling precisely what you anticipate. Crafting a story on this shared-custody premise has potential – even if it's not exactly a brilliant concept.
- Merv becomes available on Prime Video this December.
