It is an often-repeated piece of advice among many that sharing custody a dog after a breakup is a terrible idea. Experts frequently claim such setups hinder ex-partners from healing, create logistical nightmares, lead to tension, and become annoying for all parties. Seemingly, as a development worthy of a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to the canine in question to feel down.
Without minimizing the inner life of our pets – countless people speak of their remarkable empathy. To witness a prime example in pet despair, one need only look a past film. It seems certain that a dog like Merv, a wired-hair terrier mix brought to life by the canine actor Gus, would struggle adapting to divided living arrangements. If this concept a full holiday film on this conflict works effectively remains a questionable prospect.Standard Holiday Fare
Honestly, Merv, the work of Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and under the guidance of director Swale, never aspires to be more profound than what it is. It functions as a Christmas movie from a corporate studio – the ambitions are modest. The narrative is destined to be simple and direct: a separated couple Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), realizing that their individual funk is matched by their dog's, embark on a uplifting getaway to a dog-friendly resort. At this location, predictably, they will presumably realize the idea that they belong with each other. The supporting cast – including familiar faces – fulfill roles eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Its aesthetic has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a wintry atmosphere that is visibly contrived – think fake snow clinging to verdant foliage as a warm climate doubles as a wintery Boston.
The Canine Charisma
Whether these standard ingredients coalesce into an entertaining watch depends on the strength of the performances and one's taste for comfort viewing. On the latter point, Merv targets a specific viewer – those people who browse regularly for dog videos. It provides a wealth of adorable dog montages. The central draw is the dog, and even if it causes some awkward editing between what the dog does and people's faces, the movie succeeds in showing canine party antics, pet moping, and, ultimately, pure puppy happiness.
Where It Wobbles
This level of success cannot be applied for the romantic plot. The film's approach wavers between serious study, wacky comedy, formulaic romance, and silly gags, never fully committing to a consistent feel. This is not the actor playing Russ, who is willing to embrace the silliness and cringe demanded of the bizarre setting. His performance contains a likable self-deprecation that offers a significant portion of the appeal for this on-the-rocks couple. Her co-star Deschanel, true to her usual style, injects a certain millennial quirkiness that will either resonate with viewers. The character can feel a touch too detached, particularly when alongside Cox's genuine sadness. (For what it's worth, Merv himself succeeds in looking despondent – while no a canine thespian of that caliber, he is still an excellent dog.)
The story strives to provide depth 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 feel-good picture. Unsurprisingly, it just about gets by. The catalyst for their original breakup could have been more nuanced with greater exploration and less blunt explanation. In the end, Merv is light and sugary, hitting precisely what you anticipate. Creating a movie with this canine conflict has potential – though I wouldn't call it a brilliant concept.
- Merv streams on Amazon Prime Video starting December 10.
